Carolina Panthers wide receiver Adam Thielen has dismissed retirement rumors, reaffirming his plans to continue playing in the NFL.
“I have some more football in me!” Thielen told Ben Nagle of Daily Mail in an exclusive interview.
At 34, Thielen dealt with injuries during the 2024 season, missing several games due to a hamstring issue. He played in just 10 games, with a strong start that included a touchdown in the Panthers’ Week 3 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders. However, consistency was a challenge for him after that. Thielen finished the season with 615 receiving yards and five touchdowns — his lowest numbers since 2019, when he was with the Minnesota Vikings.
Despite the Panthers finishing the 2024 season with a 5-12 record and missing the playoffs for the second year in a row since Thielen joined, the two-time Pro Bowler remains hopeful about the team’s future and his ongoing role with Carolina.
After playing a round of golf at Hilton Grand Vacations’ LPGA Tournament of Champions, Thielen reflected on the challenges of the past season but expressed his eagerness to make a comeback. He acknowledged the physical toll of the 2024 season while reinforcing his desire to continue playing.
Adam Thielen weighs NFL future after time for recovery
Thielen shared that the past few weeks have been a time of reflection and rejuvenation. “I definitely needed those two weeks to just get my energy back and spend quality family time, get away,” he said. “Yeah, I think I still have some more football in me. We’ll see how that plays out in the next few weeks.”
He also took the time to assess both his physical condition and his family’s thoughts on his career. “It was really about just taking those last few weeks to evaluate how I’m feeling, how my family’s feeling, what’s their mindset,” he explained.
Thielen acknowledged that he’s more aware now that his playing days are limited, but isn’t sure when that end will come. “I think there’s probably more times now that you’re like, ‘alright, there’s probably not much more.’ So you know there’s an end in sight, but when that exactly will be is kind of a year-to-year thing.”
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