It’s little wonder why Adam Thielen feels he still has more to give. After a hamstring injury forced him to miss seven games in his second season with the Carolina Panthers, Thielen made a strong recovery, recording 48 catches for 615 yards and five touchdowns. His performance was his best since 2020, with averages of 12.8 yards per reception and 61.5 yards per game, both of which were his best since that year.
Thielen’s improvement was not limited to his early season performances, as he continued to play at a high level even after coming back from injury. He had two 100-yard receiving games in December, including one that featured two touchdown catches. The Panthers’ improvement was also largely due to the maturation of quarterback Bryce Young, who looked like a potential franchise signal-caller as the season progressed.
Thielen’s renewed confidence in the Panthers’ direction and his excitement to see how they will add new pieces to their roster next year has led him to indicate that he plans to play out the final year of his contract and see how the team develops. With the Panthers showing fight and reason for excitement at the end of the season, it’s clear that Thielen believes he still has more to give with the team.