P.J. Walker Goes In-Depth on Why He Chose the Panthers
The Cam Newton era in Carolina is officially over as it appears Teddy Bridgewater will assume the role as the team's next starting quarterback. Although, he will have some stiff competition behind him as second-year man out of West Virginia, Will Grier looks to close the gap and have a chance to be the team's future. But, the wildcard in all of this is former XFL star, P.J. Walker.
Walker signed a two-year deal with the Panthers this offseason after leading the Houston Roughnecks (XFL) to a 5-0 record and was considered to be the league's frontrunner for the MVP award after throwing for 15 touchdowns and over 1,300 yards.
Earlier this week, I sat down with Walker and discussed why the Panthers seemed like the best fit for him. The reason was pretty obvious - his relationship with head coach Matt Rhule.
"He brings energy everyday. He knows what he wants out of his players, he’s going to put his players in the best position and the best predicaments for them and for the team. Moving forward, I thought that Matt Rhule was going to be the best guy for me to help me benefit my career and help me succeed," Walker said.
Walker played for Rhule at Temple from 2013-16 and threw for 10,668 yards and 74 touchdowns and played a major role in the Owls securing back-to-back ten win seasons - something the program is not historically known for.
For Walker, the relationships go well beyond Matt Rhule. He will also have the opportunity to reunite with a pair of his former teammates from his college days.
"I played with Robby [Anderson] and [Keith] Kirkwood at Temple and me and Tahir [Whitehead] are both from New Jersey, so we know each other. So, just to know that those guys are there for me and I’m there for those guys, it’s going to be awesome, it’s going to be fun."
Walker also said that he is expecting to compete for the backup role alongside Grier, but don't be surprised to see him make a strong push for the starting job at some point over the next couple of years.
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