CHARLOTTE, N.C. — If there were concerns the Carolina Panthers’ first-year players might run into a rookie wall as the NFL season reached late December, Lathan Ransom, Tetairoa McMillan and company powered through it like the Kool-Aid Man from those old TV commercials.
The grind of an 18-week schedule seemed to be slowing McMillan as the No. 8 pick from Arizona managed just five catches in the three games preceding Sunday’s NFC South clash with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
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But then the wide receiver broke through with six receptions for 73 yards and a touchdown to help the Panthers edge the Bucs 23-20 to take a one-game lead in the division.
“Obviously, the last couple of weeks were slow. But I trust in the process, I trust in the game plan,” McMillan said. “It just so happened to be where I was a little bit more involved, and I’m super grateful for it. And I’m not going to sit here and act like I had a good game, because I didn’t. I just got to take advantage of the opportunities that come my way.”
McMillan, who has said he is both his biggest supporter and critic, apparently thought he could have come down with a couple of contested catches. But by most measures, it was a banner day for McMillan and the rest of the Panthers’ rookies, part of the second draft class overseen by general manager Dan Morgan.
In addition to McMillan, several other rookies had major roles in an important victory:
• Safety Lathan Ransom earned redemption from a costly penalty in a Week 15 loss to the Saints by intercepting Baker Mayfield with 42 seconds left to thwart the Bucs’ comeback hopes. Ransom, a fourth-round pick from Ohio State, is one of three rookies across the league with an interception, a sack and a forced fumble this season.
PAID THE RANSOM
📺:FOX pic.twitter.com/NFFXhxIhsU
— Carolina Panthers (@Panthers) December 21, 2025
• Outside linebacker Nic Scourton played with a game-changing energy, resulting in four tackles (one for loss), a play in which he sniffed out a Bucs’ screen and the Panthers’ second-highest grade on defense, according to Pro Football Focus (just ahead of Ransom). Scourton, a second-rounder from Texas A&M, was originally credited with a half-sack before it was changed on the official stats.
• Undrafted kicker Ryan Fitzgerald went 3-for-3 on field goals, capped by a game-winning, 48-yarder with 2:20 remaining. It was Fitzgerald’s fourth game-winning kick of the season, tied with Denver’s Wil Lutz for the NFL lead. He’s also tied with Dan Bailey (2011) and Chip Lohmiller (1988) for the most game-winning kicks by a rookie kicker since the 1970 merger.
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• With Turk Wharton out with a hamstring injury, defensive lineman Cam Jackson played a season-high 13 snaps on defense. Jackson didn’t record a tackle, but his interior pressure forced Mayfield out of the pocket and created confusion between Mayfield and receiver Mike Evans on the Bucs’ final offensive play.
• Tight end Mitchell Evans pulled in three passes for 23 yards, while wideout Jimmy Horn Jr. had the Panthers’ longest rush — a 25-yarder on the first series to help set up a Fitzgerald field goal.
Canales said the production from the rookies could not have come at a better time.
“It’s why we play these guys. It’s why we believe in them and we live through the bumps along the road with having young players out there,” he said. “But at this time of year, they’re young, they’re strong. We had a bye week to get our legs back and they looked that way. They looked fast. We had an aggressive style of play, so I’m really proud of those young guys coming through.”
McMillan’s longest college season was 13 games in 2023 when Arizona made the Alamo Bowl. So this is an unprecedented workload for the 6-4, 219-pound receiver.
McMillan had a huge game in a Week 11 win at Atlanta, but went into a little lull over the next three games while drawing the opponent’s best cover cornerback. He missed one practice last week with a foot/ankle issue, but looked healthy Sunday when he ran past Bucs CB Jamel Dean for a 22-yard touchdown to give the Panthers a 13-10 halftime advantage.
Perfection
📺: FOX pic.twitter.com/vy13eMc7Gh
— Carolina Panthers (@Panthers) December 21, 2025
The lead changed hands a couple times in the second half before Fitzgerald gave the Panthers the lead for good following the 12th game-winning drive of Young’s career.
“Obviously, it’s good that we finish games and we’re good at the end of the game as far as finishing drives and scoring points. It’s a little too close for comfort sometimes,” McMillan said. “But for some reason, that’s where we thrive, and that’s kind of the area that we excel at. I feel like we just got to do a better job at starting faster.”
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Sunday’s game featured a couple of Offensive Rookie of the Year candidates in McMillan and Egbuka, the former Ohio State wideout who finished with one catch for 40 yards. McMillan is first among rookies in receiving yards (924) and receiving touchdowns (7), while his 65 catches rank second among rookies behind Cleveland Browns tight end Harold Fannin (70).
McMillan’s strong showing against Tampa Bay — combined with New England Patriots running back TreVeyon Henderson entering the concussion protocol Sunday night at Baltimore — prompted most sportsbooks to make McMillan the betting favorite for OROY. BetMGM lists McMillan at -350, followed by New Orleans Saints quarterback Tyler Shough (+400), Egbuka (+2000), Henderson (+2000) and New York Giants QB Jaxson Dart (+2200).
Bucs coach Todd Bowles last week compared McMillan to a future Hall of Fame receiver the Panthers know well.
“He reminds me a lot of Mike Evans — a younger Mike Evans,” Bowles said of the Bucs’ great. “He’s still 6-4, he’s 200-something pounds, he has great body control, great ball skills, very tough cover. He can catch it with you hanging on him and he can beat you with routes and get off the line of scrimmage.”
Canales was less effusive with his praise Monday when asked about McMillan’s OROY chances, preferring to keep the focus on the Panthers’ playoff push. With a win Sunday against Seattle and a Bucs’ loss to Miami, the Panthers would clinch their first playoff berth since 2017. They can win the division by beating the Bucs again in Week 18.
“I certainly think he’s made enough of an impact to be in the conversation,” Canales said of McMillan. “Obviously, the individual goals, the individual things come with success of a team. And I think T-Mac would see it the same way. It’s all of us. It’s the offensive line blocking, Bryce delivering the throws, the defense playing well. All those things tie in. And when you win, people get accolades.
“So our goal should always be the group effort and all the other recognition will come along with that.”
This news was originally published on this post .
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