Panthers Star Tetairoa McMillan Breaks Silence on Youth Camp Controversy

Panthers' wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan addressed his recent youth camp snafu Getty

Carolina Panthers wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan Getty

The Carolina Panthers are a sneaky-dangerous team heading into the 2026 campaign. After winning the NFC South division last year, the Panthers have a lot of things going for them, one of which is the partnership between quarterback Bryce Young and wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan, as this duo linked up frequently throughout their first season together.

As a rookie, McMillan helped open up Carolina’s offense by providing Young with a go-to target in the passing game. For all intents and purposes, it was a successful transition from college to the pros for him, but he recently drew some complaints from fans after he reportedly no-showed a youth football camp he was supposed to appear at. When asked about this controversy, McMillan took a second to share his side of the story.

Tetairoa McMillan Addresses Youth Camp Snafu

After a standout collegiate career with the Arizona Wildcats, McMillan was selected with the No. 8 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. A big-bodied receiver who can play on the outside, McMillan has all the makings of being a star pass catcher, which was on full display last season when he caught 70 passes for 1,014 yards and seven touchdowns to win the Offensive Rookie of the Year Award.

While Young tends to be rather inconsistent under center, McMillan helped make his life easier last season, and he figures to continue doing so. With guys like Jalen Coker and Xavier Legette developing alongside him, Carolina’s offense is really beginning to come together, on paper at least.

Off the field, though, concerns about McMillan have emerged, as folks complained about his decision not to attend a youth football camp he was reportedly supposed to show up to. According to McMillan, he never committed to attending this camp , saying he didn’t know why the people running it thought he was going to be there. In an effort to make up for it, though, McMillan said he was working on getting the kids at that camp to attend a practice or a game in the future.

“I don’t want anybody to think that I don’t like kids or anything like that,” McMillan said when speaking to reporters. “I love the kids. They’re the next generation. (I) try to give back as much as possible. But I don’t know where that came from. I never committed to that … I look forward to seeing all the kids that expected me to be at that camp either at a game or come out to a practice, just so I can make up for it.”

Tetairoa McMillan Looking to Move on from Youth Camp Controversy

Getty Carolina Panthers wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan

It’s obviously not a great look that McMillan didn’t attend this youth camp, but miscommunications happen. If he can find a way to make it up to the kids who attended, chances are the damage will be repaired. Whether or not he can make it happen remains to be seen, but McMillan said the right things to try and get himself back in the good graces of the Panthers’ fanbase.

In the meantime, McMillan is going to be doing whatever he can to get ready for the start of the new season. Again, expectations are going to be higher than usual for the Panthers, and he’s going to play a big role in determining how successful this team can be. McMillan shined as a rookie, but if he can take another step forward, Carolina could quickly become a very dangerous team.

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