For a budding superstar, Panthers defensive end Brian Burns sure flies under the radar. We certainly haven’t heard or read much about him this offseason with all the wild quarterback developments both in Carolina and around the NFL.
Burns caught our attention this morning, though when he retweeted this stat from Pro Football Focus. Apparently, Burns had the second-highest pressure rate of any defensive player in the league last season on third down.
Brian Burns had the 2nd highest pressure rate (22.1%) among all defensive players on 3rd down last season.#KeepPounding pic.twitter.com/rQYI99yrQ4
— PFF CAR Panthers (@PFF_Panthers) April 2, 2021
Phenomenal work from Burns, who was an egregious Pro Bowl snub.
The best athletes (especially the greatest of all time) always tend to elevate their game when it matters most, whether it be the fourth quarter, the ninth inning or any kind of overtime.
For defensive players in the NFL, crunch time comes on third down. That Burns thrives so much in those situations in another indicator that the Panthers have themselves a truly special player, here.
