Panthers’ Tetairoa McMillan eclipses Kelvin Benjamin’s franchise rookie record
Tetairoa McMillan has produced more receiving yards in his first NFL season than any other rookie in Carolina Panthers history.
The first-round pick caught a 40-yard pass from quarterback Bryce Young during the fourth quarter of Saturday’s 16-14 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Raymond James Stadium. That catch put McMillan at 1,014 receiving yards on the season, eclipsing Kelvin Benjamin’s total of 1,008 receiving yards in 2014.
McMillan, the eighth overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, has been the focal point of the Panthers’ offense this season. The playmaker, who played college football at the University of Arizona, has been among the league’s leaders in receiving yards throughout the season, and is currently the leader among NFL rookies in that category.
Along with his 1,014 receiving yards, McMillan caught seven touchdown passes in 17 games. Benjamin had nine receiving touchdowns in 16 games in 2014, which is the franchise high mark.
McMillan’s new receiving yards record is notable because of how much draft capital the team has invested in wide receivers in recent years. Before McMillan arrived in April, the team spent a first-round pick on Xavier Legette in 2024. The previous regime also spent second-round picks on Jonathan Mingo (2023) and Terrace Marshall Jr. (2021).
McMillan has been a runaway success story during the Panthers’ best season in eight years. While the offense will continue to be reworked in the offseason, it’s clear that McMillan is part of the long-term solution for head coach Dave Canales’ offense.
This story was originally published January 3, 2026 at 7:13 PM.
