Carolina Panthers: Ranking franchise Olympic podium players
By Tadhg Flynn
Silver Medalist: D.J. Moore, WR
The 2020 NFL season would surely have been a disappointment to most Panthers fans, but it was not without its bright spots. In fact, the offensive performances of the team were statistically quite impressive, especially when you consider their starting quarterback did not have the X factor needed to really push the team past its limitations.
Teddy Bridgewater did his best and even set a franchise record for completion percentage (69.1). This doesn’t reflect overall team performance but it is significant to how well his receiving corps played throughout the year.
Chief amongst these excellent wideouts was D.J. Moore. Moore recorded a second consecutive season with over 1,000 receiving yards, with the 11th highest total in the NFL (1,193) and in doing so recording the fifth-highest total receiving yards in Panthers history (3,156). He is the only receiver in the NFL to record 1,200 scrimmage yards in both 2019 and 2020.
Whilst the totals are impressive, the explosive manner in which he has recorded them really shows the class and talent Moore brings to the team. He was second in the entire NFL with 18.1 yards per catch, and he had the second-most 40+ yard plays in a single season in franchise history with six. Fans will hope that his impressive levels of production result in more targets and catches in the end zone in 2021.
Moore has become the star receiver for this Panthers roster and he will continue to impress throughout the 2021 season. He is this team’s “silver medalist” and should draw viewers in from across the league.