2021 kickoff is apparently the first day of school, at least from a fashion perspective, for a pair of Carolina Panthers linebackers. Fresh threads!
An hour before kickoff, the team announced that Shaq Thompson and Jermaine Carter Jr. will both have new uniform numbers heading into the opener against the New York Jets. Thompson will drop his No. 54 for No. 7 and Carter now puts aside the No. 56 for No. 4.
Thompson, however, had the news a little earlier . . .
After six seasons in the 54, Thompson has now opted for the single-digit change. He donned the No. 7 as a Husky at the University of Washington from 2012 to 2014.
Carter Jr., who didn’t wear his new No. 4 during his collegiate career, will also join his fellow backer on that switch-a-roo. He, rather, wore Nos. 1 and 23 at the University of Maryland from 2014 to 2017.
The Panthers’ starting defense will now have three guys (with cornerback Jaycee Horn and his No. 8) running around with a single-digit uniform number. And with Carolina, per usual, playing the Tampa Bay Buccaneers twice this season, that’ll surely piss off quarterback Tom Brady, won’t it?
