Welcome to the NFL, Ja’Tavion Sanders.
The Carolina Panthers rookie tight end tasted more than just defeat in his very first regular-season game on Sunday. He also, thanks to New Orleans Saints defensive end Chase Young, got a sample of the turf over at Caesars Superdome . . .
Chase Young just committed a crime. pic.twitter.com/zCCEaa5RZ1
— 𝙺𝚎𝚟𝚒𝚗.𝚓𝚊𝚟𝚊 (@KevinWashJr) September 8, 2024
Sanders was asked about the humbling hit on Monday.
“Honestly, we had a run play and Chase Young just ran straight through my face,” he said with a smile. “That was my real wake-up call to the NFL—just knowing that you can’t outmuscle every guy, that these are all grown-[expletive] men and they all strong as hell.”
Ja’Tavion Sanders’ welcome to the NFL moment:
“We had a run play and Chase Young ran straight through my face.”
I asked him what he thought afterward he said
“I’m not letting that sh*t happen again.” pic.twitter.com/8jSAcHcmoP
— Carolina Blitz (@KeepBlitzin) September 9, 2024
With injuries to fellow tight ends Tommy Tremble and Ian Thomas, Sanders got the starting nod in his NFL debut this weekend. The 2024 fourth-round pick played 43 of the offense’s 59 snaps, recording one catch for four yards in the 47-10 loss.