Carolina Panthers WR Tetairoa McMillan deserves to win this award.
Carolina Panthers WR Tetairoa McMillan is a finalist for the 2025 Pepsi Zero Sugar NFL Rookie of the Year award.
The winner will be selected by a fan vote.
The six finalists are McMillan, New York Giants QB Jaxson Dart, Las Vegas Raiders RB Ashton Jeanty, New England Patriots RB TreVeyon Henderson, Cleveland Browns LB Carson Schwesinger and New Orleans Saints QB Tyler Shough.
McMillan led all rookies this season in receiving yards (1,014), receiving yards per game (59.6) and touchdown receptions (seven) and ranked third in receptions (70). He broke the Panthers franchise record for most receiving yards by a rookie.
"I think we definitely envisioned what we got, otherwise, I don't think we would have drafted him at No. 8," Panthers GM Dan Morgan said about McMillan during his end-of-the-season press conference. "So, he's done a great job. Just another guy that comes in, he works, attention to detail, and it shows out on the field on Sundays."
McMillan caught 70 balls this season for 1,014 yards and seven touchdowns. He helped the Panthers make the playoffs for the first time since the 2017 season.
In the Panthers' Wild Card loss to the Los Angeles Rams, McMillan had five catches for 81 yards.
McMillan won the Rookie of the Week award back in Week 6 after scoring his first two touchdowns of his rookie year in the Panthers' win over the Dallas Cowboys. He is also currently one of the favorites to be nominated for the NFL Associated Press Offensive Rookie of the Year award.
The Panthers have a bright future with McMillan and QB Bryce Young leading the offense. Young had 3,011 passing yards and 23 passing touchdowns in the regular season. Carolina has already picked up the fifth-year option on Young.
"Bryce has shown flashes of greatness this year against high level competition,'' Morgan said. "Just as a team we weren't as consistent as we want to be on a game-to-game basis, but that's part of what happens with a young team.
"Bryce did a great job this year, and I'm just really excited about moving forward and still developing chemistry with our receivers and just the pieces around him.''