Panthers players react to Robbie Anderson trade: ‘There was a lot of tension built up’
.JPG "Carolina Panthers’ Robbie Anderson reacts during the first half an NFL football game against the New York Giants, Sunday, Sept. 18, 2022, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Noah K. Murray)")
There might not be a player in the Carolina Panthers locker room closer to Robbie Anderson than backup quarterback P.J. Walker.
Anderson and Walker were teammates at Temple during their college days. They were later reunited in 2020 under their former Temple head coach Matt Rhule in Charlotte, playing more than two seasons together as members of the Panthers
But like Rhule’s tenure in Carolina, Anderson’s reunion tour with Walker didn’t last past the first half of this season. On Monday, the Panthers traded Anderson to the Arizona Cardinals for a pair of draft picks.
The move came less than 24 hours after Rhule’s interim replacement, Steve Wilks, dismissed Anderson to the locker room ahead of the fourth quarter of the 24-10 loss to the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday.
Walker, Anderson’s longtime friend, was disappointed by the trade but understood why there needed to be separation between the player and the organization.
“It sucks to see him go,” Walker said. “But there was a lot of tension built up there — I wish him the best moving forward. Him being a real close friend of mine — like a brother to me — its sucks to see him really have to go, but I just wish him the best in Arizona, I know he’s going to do well, and just wish him the best.”
Walker, who started his first game of the season on Sunday against the Rams, spoke to Anderson following the completion of the trade.
“It was just a tough situation he was in, and I thought the team handled it really well but it’s just tough to see it happen for him,” Walker said.
Anderson spoke Sunday night after the loss to Rams in an effort to explain his actions before he was sent to the locker room. Anderson didn’t want his passion to be misinterpreted as anything other than his love for the game.
“It’s hard when you love something so much and things don’t go your way at times,” Walker said. “It’s tough to battle through it. You get a little frustrated at times, and it just bothers you — when you’ve had enough of it — I guess it’s hard to control your emotions.”
Wilks has preached accountability since taking over for Rhule last week.
Following the trade, left guard Brady Christensen said that accountability is important for the team’s foundation. The message sent with the Anderson trade signifies a backing of the interim head coach’s words.
“That’s one of the first things he preaches is accountability, and that’s what we need on this team,” Christensen said. “Accountability, commitment and trust — that’s what we talk about all the time. That’s what we need.”
Fellow wideout D.J. Moore, like Walker, said he was sad to see Anderson go as his friend, but he also agrees with Wilks’ message of putting the team first.
“It just comes down to just being a team player at the end of the day,” Moore said. “Just being on top of everything. Just being you at the end of the day.”
Wilks spoke with Anderson and wished him well on his opportunity with the Cardinals. But the interim head coach also reiterated a point that he made on Sunday, stating that no one person — including himself — is bigger than the team.
Christensen agreed.
“We trust Coach Wilks, and we’ve got to follow what he’s doing,” Christensen said. “Coach Wilks is an awesome coach, we respect him and we’ve got to trust him with whatever decisions he has going forward.”
This story was originally published October 17, 2022 at 5:52 PM with the headline "Panthers players react to Robbie Anderson trade: ‘There was a lot of tension built up’."
