CHARLOTTE, N.C. (CAROLINA SPORTS LIVE) — Since retiring from the NFL, Jonathan Stewart has kept himself very busy. He’s done a TV show, he golfs a ton, and of course, he’s around Bank of America Stadium all the time.
However, one thing he surprisingly hasn’t done is take in an NFL game on the sideline.
“I have been around,” he explains. “But to be there, during a game, it doesn’t seem necessary.
But then, for Carolina’s game against Arizona, came an offer he couldn’t refuse. And for the first time in six years, the team’s all-time leading rusher found himself up close and personal with the Panthers once again.
“It wasn’t a shock to me, but it did give me a different feel for actually being a part of the process,” Stewart said.
That’s because on that day in the desert, Stewart was experiencing the game in a completely different way.
“You have these big old lenses,” he smiles as he looks at his camera, a Sony A7-R2. “You can zoom in on people on and you can kind of get up close and personal.”
Stewart had been dabbling in photography since his daughter was born back in 2017. The 38-year-old had gotten away from the hobby in recent years, but when Sony reached out about picking up his gear again, he jumped at the chance.
“The reason why I agreed to it was because A, I get to travel with the team,” he said. “But also be a part of something as far as you’re bringing some value. And I feel like my perspective as a photographer might be different than the average guy.
It didn’t take long for Stewart to work off his rust.
Stewart says there’s a high from capturing a perfect picture. It’s not like scoring a touchdown. But it’s close.
“I think that is something the athlete’s mind chases. When you retire, you are looking for that high. You’re looking for that rush.”
Stewart found it and then some. Now he finds himself taking pictures all the time again.
“If you had a wedding, I can do your wedding. I can do football games clearly. I can do your football practice. I am open for hire,” he jokes.
Clearly, his busy schedule isn’t going to clear up any time soon.
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