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CBS Sports glaringly omits Tetairoa McMillan from midseason ROY race

He’s having a big year for the rising Panthers. But Tetairoa McMillan didn’t get any love from writers handicapping the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year race.
Russell Baxter|
Nov 2, 2025; Green Bay, Wisconsin, USA; Carolina Panthers wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan (4) pulls down a first down reception against Green Bay Packers cornerback Carrington Valentine (24) during their football game at Lambeau Field. Mandatory Credit: Dan Powers-USA TODAY Network via Imagn Images
Nov 2, 2025; Green Bay, Wisconsin, USA; Carolina Panthers wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan (4) pulls down a first down reception against Green Bay Packers cornerback Carrington Valentine (24) during their football game at Lambeau Field. Mandatory Credit: Dan Powers-USA TODAY Network via Imagn Images | Dan Powers-USA TODAY Network via Imagn Images

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A panel of 15 editors, writers and analysts from CBS Sports gave out their top three frontrunners in terms of the league’s major awards for 2025. Here, the topic is the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year. The group’s top three choices are Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ wide receiver Emeka Egbuka—who got 10 of the 15 votes—Indianapolis Colts’ tight end Tyler Warren, and New York Giants’ quarterback Jaxson Dart.

“With Chris Godwin and Mike Evans injured,” explained Bryan DeArdo, “Egbuka has stepped up for a Buccaneers team that has overcome a myriad of injuries during the season's first half. Egbuka appears destined to continue the lineage of successful receivers that have come out of Ohio State. This list also includes Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Garrett Wilson, Terry McLaurin, Chris Olave and Marvin Harrison Jr.”

Tetairoa McMillan
Oct 19, 2025; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; Carolina Panthers wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan (4) stiff arms New York Jets cornerback Sauce Gardner (1) in the second quarter at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

That’s all well and good, and the list is pretty good. But what about a player who this season has more catches than Egbuka (34), and more receiving yards than Warren (518)? The Carolina Panthers used the eighth overall pick in April’s draft on University of Arizona wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan. He leads Dave Canales’s club with 41 catches, good for 558 yards and a pair of scores. In terms of rookies, he trails only Egbuka (562) in terms of receiving yards, although the latter has played in one fewer game.

Of course, there nine more weeks of NFL season to decide all of these award winners. You could make the case that McMillan has enjoyed a better overall year than Warren, but by a thin margin. In any case, it’s a bit of a surprise not to see the Panthers’ top pass-catcher get a little attention.

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Russell Baxter
RUSSELL BAXTER

Russell S. Baxter has been writing and researching the game of football for more than 40 years, and on numerous platforms. That includes television, as he spent more than two decades at ESPN, and was part of shows that garnered five Emmy Awards. He also spent the 2015 NFL season with Thursday Night Football on CBS/NFLN.