After improving their win total from two wins to five under Dave Canales in 2024, the Carolina Panthers are viewed as a young team on the rise. But what does that mean for some of the team’s veterans whose careers are much closer to the end than the beginning?
Soon-to-be 35-year-old wide receiver Adam Thielen isn’t even the oldest player on the Panthers’ roster, but he knows his career is winding down. The two-time Pro Bowler is entering his 12th season now, and he’s already contemplated retirement, both this offseason and likely next offseason too.
Recently, Thielen spoke to reporters about his thought process on how he’s approaching the end of his career, and while doing so, he admitted that this could be the final season of his career.
“It could be yeah. Like every year, you look back, like what left do I have to give to this game. I talked to my family and they wanted me to keep playing. So it’tl be the same process. I’m not gonna think about that right now. You have to have that mindset in this league. Then once the season is over, evaluate, see where we’re at, see where the team’s at, see where I’m at individually and as a family, but yeah, definitely winding down my career, but excited about this year and what could happen.”
Adam Thielen said he talked to his family and they wanted him to play this season. He’ll go through a similar process after 2025, which is the final year of his contract. pic.twitter.com/qRMDwKmGb8
— Joe Person (@josephperson) May 2, 2025
If Thielen is really close to calling it quits, he can go out knowing he gave 100% every time he stepped foot on the field. After all, you don’t make it on an NFL roster by accident, especially Thielen, who earned his roster spot with his hometown Minnesota Vikings after attending a rookie tryout.
Thielen did enough to get noticed by the coaching staff, and 8,311 receiving yards later, he’s become one of the most accomplished receivers of his era. Not bad for someone no one paid any attention to in the 2013 NFL Draft.
