TMac is the favorite for big end-of-year award. To Carolina Panthers, it’s a lock
Ask Carolina Panthers running back Rico Dowdle how he feels about how Tetairoa McMillan has played this year, and the 1,000-plus-yard running back will have a lot to say about his rookie teammate.
Ask Dowdle if McMillan should be named the NFC’s Offensive Rookie of the Year, though, and Dowdle will keep it short.
“I mean, I think he should get it,” Dowdle said Wednesday.
Why is that?
“Broke the Panthers’ rookie season franchise record,” he continued. “Think he was the only rookie to have over 1,000 receiving yards. So yeah, he’s well-deserving of that.”
The Panthers have already done a lot to make the 2025 season stick out. First playoff berth since 2017. First NFC South division title since 2015. Individual accolades have come as well. Cornerback Jaycee Horn earned his second-consecutive Pro Bowl selection. Quarterback Bryce Young now owns the single-game franchise record for most passing yards. Dowdle, himself, has Carolina’s single-game record for most yards from scrimmage, which he earned this year, too.
But if there’s been a beacon of consistency somewhere, it’s been with McMillan, the No. 8 pick in the NFL Draft who has still floated above expectations. In fact, analytics website Pro Football Focus named him their Offensive Rookie of the Year on Wednesday. And according to most sportsbooks, as of Wednesday evening, McMillan is the runaway favorite to win the end-of-year award. FanDuel Sportsbook has him at -2,000. DraftKings has him at -1,000. The second-closest competitor is the Patriots’ TreVeyon Henderson, who is at +5,500 odds, per FanDuel.
Saying McMillan has eclipsed expectations — even if he has from the outside — doesn’t necessarily resonate with him. McMillan said that he hasn’t met his own expectations several times this year, including after the team’s last win, against the Bucs at home.
Also? The individual accolades aren’t really a concern of his, McMillan said this week.
“Shoot, obviously it’s a blessing,” McMillan said of his offensive rookie of the year candidacy. “But I’m just glad, out of all things, that we were able to make the playoffs — that we got a chance at doing something great that hasn’t been done in Charlotte in a long time. So I feel like that holds a higher power than me being the favorite for offensive rookie of the year.”
Tetairoa McMillan should run away with award, stats say
Take a close look at McMillan’s candidacy, and it’s all pretty straightforward.
McMillan, as Dowdle recited from memory, leads all rookies in receiving yards with 1,014. The closest candidate is Bucs receiver Emeka Egbuka with 938 and tight end Tyler Warren with 817.
The only other rookies ahead of those yards from scrimmage are the Raiders’ Ashton Jeanty (1,321 yards) and Henderson (1,132). Jeanty’s candidacy is hurt by a Raiders team in rough straits; Henderson, conversely, might be hurt by the fact he’s not the focal point of the offense — one orchestrated by MVP candidate and second-year QB from the Charlotte area, Drake Maye.
McMillan owns the record for most regular-season receiving yards in franchise history by a rookie with 1,014 yards. The previous record was held by Kelvin Benjamin with 1,008.
And just to clear the air: Yes, McMillan needed 17 games to do it while Benjamin had 16. Then again, Cam Newton was Benjamin’s quarterback and threw for 3,127 yards that regular season; Young has only thrown for 3,011 yards. So from a percentage perspective of his quarterback’s passing yards, McMillan has the edge.
Still, if you asked McMillan this week, the 6-foot-4, 212-pound receiver still will point out a lot to improve in his game.
He’ll have some playful snark, too.
“I think the biggest thing I’ve learned is, I may not have the luxury of getting as many calls like I used to in college,” McMillan said, two days after he was called for a controversial offensive pass interference penalty that, if not called, could’ve shifted the game’s tides in Carolina’s favor.
McMillan then turned sincere: “No for sure. It’s different. It makes me have to play my game differently. I just have to adjust to the league. And that’s fine. It’s totally fine.”
Here’s what else you need to know from Wednesday’s practice.
Robert Hunt still dropping hints on his availability Saturday
Several players showed up on the injury report this week. Defensive lineman Bobby Brown III (concussion) and linebacker Claudin Cherelus (calf/ankle) are among the two players who have logged limited participations this week in practice — and their attendance will be necessary for this defense to be at its best.
But if there’s one player everyone’s keyed in on, it’s Robert Hunt.
And Hunt, who’s been on the injured reserve with a biceps injury since Week 2 but has practiced the last few weeks, isn’t giving anyone any indication of his availability Saturday.
His most revealing answer, after a lot of prodding:
“My elbow is not going to be perfect,” Hunt said. “But I think I can compete with it, for sure.”
Hunt continued: “So right now, I’m dealing with a bone inflamed, just from the surgery. ... Pushing and all that is good. It’s just about how long I can stay in the football position, with people moving. That’s kind of the test. And the tests have been going well so far.”
How did being around the facility help your preparedness for a potential return?
“It kept me hungry,” Hunt said. “I’m excited for what’s about to happen Saturday. That’s what I wanted to be a part of. I was a part of it because I’m in the building, I’m on the team, but obviously I wasn’t playing.”
He then laughed: “I said this already: ‘I’m like the kid with the good grade, but I didn’t do (anything).”
The Panthers announced that every player on the active roster was a full participant at practice Wednesday — everybody besides defensive lineman Derrick Brown, who missed for a non-injury related reason (rest).
Quick hits
— Cornerback Jaycee Horn was asked about the possibility of Cam Newton, the iconic Panthers former quarterback, being a part of Saturday’s pregame festivities, namely as the “Keep Pounding” drummer. Horn’s answer: “I think it would be electric. It’s something that everybody would want to see, for sure. He means a lot to this organization, a lot to this city.”
— A stat to consider: Saturday will mark the 18th postseason game in Panthers history, with the franchise holding a 9-8 all-time record in the playoffs. That said, the Panthers haven’t won a playoff game since the 2015 NFC Championship game. Moreover, the Panthers are 5-2 all-time in home playoff games.
— After releasing Demani Richardson on Tuesday, the Panthers announced Wednesday that they have re-signed the second-year safety to the practice squad after he cleared waivers.
This story was originally published January 7, 2026 at 6:57 PM with the headline "TMac is the favorite for big end-of-year award. To Carolina Panthers, it’s a lock."
