Tetairoa McMillan clears the air on viral video that led to pre-draft concern

After being drafted by the Carolina Panthers on Thursday, wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan addressed a viral video of him that led to some concerns about his love of the game.

NFL Commissoner Rodger Goodell and Carolina Panthers wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan. / Mark Hoffman / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Before the Carolina Panthers took Arizona wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan with the No. 8 overall pick in the 2025 NFL draft, there were some concerns about his dedication to football.

Those concerns stemmed from an old video that saw McMillan reveal he didn't watch film or football "at all" outside of a team setting.

"I don't like watching film, either. I don't ever need to watch it by myself because we go over it as a receiver group," McMillan said in the video.

As you'd expect, that was something McMillan was asked about almost immediately during his post-draft press conference on Friday afternoon.

The wide receiver said he was a freshman in high school when he made those comments and chalked them up to being "young and dumb," while also adding he has matured a lot since then.

"That was from my freshman year of high school," McMillan said, per Sheena Quick of FOX Sports Radio. "I definitely have grown, I definitely have matured since then. I feel like I wouldn't be here in front of y'all today without loving this game, without watching film. That was just young and dumb freshman me. I've definitely matured from that, for sure."

Anyone who has been through high school can relate to McMillan. None of us were operating at the utmost mature level, and clearly that's what happened with McMillan when it comes to football.

It's hard to imagine that McMillan would have made it as far as he has while putting up impressive numbers without loving football. Long story short, that video was much ado about nothing, and until he proves otherwise, we have to take him at his word.

McMillan now joins a Panthers receiving corps. that includes Adam Thielen, Xavier Legette and Jalen Coker. The Arizona product is a huge and much-needed boost to the group and he could be the team's No. 1 wide receiver sooner rather than later.

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