Panthers’ Etienne watched his brother cash in. Now, he wants to take ‘next step’
Carolina Panthers running back Trevor Etienne doesn’t need to look long and hard for inspiration entering his second NFL season.
The 2025 fourth-round pick’s older brother, Travis, just inked a four-year, $47 million deal with the New Orleans Saints in March after having a career year with the Jacksonville Jaguars last season. The elder Etienne, a 2021 first-round pick, collected 5,136 scrimmage yards and 32 touchdowns during his five-year stint in the AFC South before signing with his younger brother’s division rivals in free agency.
Naturally, Trevor has looked to Travis for guidance during the former’s first full offseason. The pair trained together before heading to their respective offseason programs in April.
“When he talks, I listen,” Trevor Etienne told The Charlotte Observer. “I’m a sponge around him.”
Travis, who played college football at Clemson, entered the league four years before Trevor. But the pair didn’t get to spend much time working together, as Trevor was busy playing at Florida and Georgia during his own three-year college tenure.
However, following the wild-card round of playoffs in January, the brothers were able to catch up and work out together.
“One thing that I appreciate about him is he never really forced anything on me,” Trevor Etienne said. “Like he kind of let me ask my own questions and figure things out on my own. But you gotta look at it — he’s one of the best backs in this league, plays the same position. He’s where I’m trying to be.”
Earlier this offseason, when Travis was introduced by the Saints, he corrected the longtime mispronunciation of the Etienne’s last name. While he was playfully called “E.T.N.” throughout his playing career at Clemson because of how Etienne is spelled, Travis noted that name is actually pronounced like Achane (AY-CHAN).
Trevor — who went by the previous pronunciation throughout his own college career and last season with the Panthers — said the brothers never corrected the error in the past because it meant explaining it to a lot of people. But like his older brother, he now wants to be addressed with the correct pronunciation.
“I mean, that’s actually how you pronounce our last name,” Etienne said with a smile. “It’s (pronounced) Achane, but that’s like some people at home — not a lot of people know that.”
‘Stuck on ready, waiting on go’
Trevor Etienne received just 23 touches for 107 yards on offense as a rookie. During that time, he developed his mantra of “stuck on ready, waiting on go,” which essentially means that he will be ready when he’s given a chance.
Rico Dowdle has moved on to Pittsburgh, but the Panthers are monitoring the long-awaited return of running back Jonathon Brooks. Chuba Hubbard has returned to the starting lineup, and Brooks — a 2024 second-round pick — is likely to be the next man up if he can return to form following back-to-back ACL surgeries on his right knee.
Carolina has used a relatively strict two-man rotation at the position under head coach Dave Canales, so Etienne is going to need to carve out a role on offense in specific packages or be relegated to return duties, similar to his rookie season.
“He’s been working really hard,” Canales said of Etienne on Tuesday. “He looks great. He looks fast. We certainly trust him back there, returning the ball. And the way he has grown in that phase, doing punt return for the first time and really owning that role — he can help the team in a lot of ways. That’ll help him, too. But I’m excited to see him touch the ball when we get to the preseason and start playing real ball with the guys. That’s going to be exciting.”
Etienne made a quality impression last summer. He picked up 47 rushing yards and 21 receiving yards in three preseason games. He also stood out in joint practices against the Cleveland Browns and Houston Texans.
But with two talented veterans ahead of him, Etienne was limited to just two touches in the final seven regular-season games of his rookie year.
Now, he will need to make another strong impression, even with Hubbard and Brooks ahead of him on the depth chart. He’ll also need to hold off the likes of A.J. Dillon, Tre Tyus and Miles Davis in camp.
“Not just competing with (Brooks),” Etienne said. “I mean, every back in that room wants to be the guy. I’m not just competing with J.B., but I’m competing with everyone, and we’re all competing with each other. But I think that’s what makes our group special. We all compete, and we all push each other to be better.”
Leaving his mark
Etienne had some rough moments in his first NFL season. As noted, he was limited on offense, and he primarily served as a returner on special teams. His work on kickoffs and punts led to mixed results.
He entered the NFL with just two punt returns on his college resume. So, naturally, there were growing pains in that area. He averaged a respectable 8.2 yards per return but also muffed two attempts, including one in the playoff loss to the Los Angeles Rams.
“Nobody wants to drop a punt, much less drop two of them,” Etienne said. “But you can’t dwell on it — learn from it.”
Etienne, as Canales noted, has gotten more comfortable fielding punts. While Etienne will need to compete for the job this summer — with the likes of David Moore, Jimmy Horn Jr. and John Metchie — Etienne feels like his work at the position will yield better results in the future.
“I’ve definitely got a lot better,” Etienne said.
But Etienne doesn’t want to be limited to special teams. He was drafted to be long-term contributor in the backfield. And even with Hubbard and Brooks ahead of him, Etienne can still potentially force his way onto the field with a strong summer in uptown Charlotte.
He knows what he needs to do to break through before Week 1. It’s a simple setup in his mind.
“Leave my mark,” Etienne said. “Show people what I can do — be that player that I was drafted here to be. It’s time to take that next step.”
