Last week, the two greatest wide receivers in Carolina Panthers history passed the torch to Jonathan Mingo . . . figuratively and literally.
Following Friday’s practice, Mingo spoke to reporters about his recent project with Steve Smith Sr. and Muhsin Muhammad—a little social media segment where he was grilled while grilling with the duo. The 2023 second-round pick said the following about his experience:
“You know football. You usually gonna talk way more football than grillin’. So, I didn’t really know I was grillin’ until last minute. I had just hopped out the shower to go sweat again. So, I was disappointed about that part.
“It was fun choppin’ it up with Steve and Moose Muhammad. Just pickin’ their brains, learnin’ football and just tryna give me advice on how I can become a better receiver.”
Mingo was then asked about his biggest takeaway from Smith Sr.
“Really just tryna help me take care of my body,” Mingo replied. “Things that just help me become a better football player. Just the ins and outs.”
Smith Sr., a noted fan of Mingo’s, dealt with a few significant injuries during his NFL career—including a broken leg, a fractured forearm and a “double rupture” of Achilles’ tendon. Nonetheless, he was able to piece together a prolific 16-year NFL career that should wind up in Canton, Ohio one day.
So hopefully, Mingo was taking more than just orders at the grill next to Smitty and Moose on that sweaty afternoon.
