Panthers WR Tetairoa McMillan has eye-opening performance in Arizona return
Down 10-0 in the first quarter following a pair of giveaways by the offense, the Carolina Panthers were yearning for a big play against the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday at State Farm Stadium.
And with 4:27 on the clock, rookie wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan entered the picture with an imaginary cape on his back.
Carolina’s first-round pick broke free from coverage against Cardinals cornerback Max Melton across the middle of the field. Quarterback Bryce Young then saw McMillan streaking free and fit a ball to the playmaker in stride. McMillan caught the pass between defenders and churned up the field.
McMillan, who isn’t known for his breakaway speed, zoomed past defenders for a 40-yard gain, setting up the Panthers for their first points of the afternoon. It was the largest passing play of the young season for Carolina, and it came at a desperate time for it.
While the Panthers couldn’t get the ball in the endzone, a 27-yard field goal by kicker Ryan Fitzgerald followed a few plays later. McMillan’s highlight reel catch-and-run play helped salvage the third series of the game.
“That’s all a credit to my teammates, my quarterback, and obviously the coaches — the play callers,” McMillan said. “They always have a good plan for this offense, and it just comes down to us to execute.”
The Panthers wouldn’t score again until 9:23 was left in the third quarter of a 27-22 loss in Arizona.
McMillan paced the offense throughout the three-point first half. He caught four of five targets for 75 yards, eclipsing his entire Week 1 total of 68 yards in just two quarters.
He later caught two passes for 25 yards in the second half, as the Panthers mounted a 19-point unanswered streak in a comeback attempt. However, McMillan was only targeted once on the final drive of the game, which ultimately stunted any hope of a wild come-from-behind win.
McMillan said he didn’t think Arizona did anything particularly notable in coverage to subvert his success on the final drive.
“I‘m not too sure,” McMillan said about the final drive. “It looked like regular defense to me. We just have to finish drives, whether the ball is coming to me or not. I have full faith in the offense and anybody on our offense. We have a bunch of weapons here. Go out there, execute and finish.”
McMillan has 11 catches for 168 yards through his first two games. He’s averaging 15.3 yards per catch as Young’s primary playmaker in the passing game. And while the results haven’t gone the Panthers’ way early on, McMillan is flashing the talent that made the Panthers fall in love with him at the University of Arizona.
He’s on pace for 1,428 receiving yards just two weeks into his first NFL season. If he keeps that momentum, he’ll be among rare company as far as rookies go.
“I feel like the game has slowed down a little bit for me since the preseason,” McMillan said. “Just getting my head around quicker — in that first game (preseason vs. Cleveland), the missed opportunity that me and Bryce had in the red zone. Just adjusting to that, getting used to Bryce’s timing, getting used to the NFL and getting used to everything that the NFL brings.
“That’s a huge testament to our defensive guys. They prepare me every single day to expect anything that comes my way.”
McMillan, who played college football 130 miles away from the Cardinals’ stadium, wore an Arizona Wildcats basketball jersey to his postgame press conference.
The young playmaker knows he still has a lot of work to do to become one of the top wideouts in the league, but after performing in front of family members on Sunday, he’s feeling pretty good about where he is at early in his NFL journey.
He’s also grateful that he had a big game in front of his biggest supporters.
“God works in mysterious ways,” McMillan said. “Somehow, my second-ever game in the league is pretty much a place where I spent the last three years, so it's a homecoming for me. It's a close flight home from Hawaii. I'm fortunate enough to have both of my grandparents here, my mom (and) pops. It's just a blessing.
“I can't put into words how grateful I am to play in front of them.”
