Panthers rookie gets Michael Jordan stamp of approval in huge announcement

Billy Heyen

Panthers rookie gets Michael Jordan stamp of approval in huge announcement image

Only one NFL rookie has signed a deal with Jordan Brand.

That rookie happens to play for the Carolina Panthers, a team that's in a way close to home to Michael Jordan.

And while there have been no public comments from MJ, clearly, there's a stamp of approval given in this news to Tetairoa McMillan.

McMillan, a 6-foot-5 wide receiver out of Arizona, could be Carolina's No. 1 WR as soon as this season.

The Panthers surprised some by taking McMillan all the way up at No. 8 overall in last month's draft.

He was a star for the Wildcats. In 2024, he caught 84 passes for 1,319 yards and eight TDs.

Athletes are getting big shoe sponsorships earlier and earlier, but the Jordan Brand isn't in the business of giving out a bunch of early deals.

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McMillan earned the opportunity with his play and his potential.

The Panthers are certainly hoping that he can have a bit of MJ to him, be that in his competitiveness, his skill or his winning (ideally more than one).

It's certainly a great tone-setter to what McMillan and the Panthers hope is a special NFL career.

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Billy Heyen

Billy Heyen is a freelance writer with The Sporting News. He is a 2019 graduate of Syracuse University who has written about many sports and fantasy sports for The Sporting News. Sports reporting work has also appeared in a number of newspapers, including the Sandusky Register and Rochester Democrat & Chronicle