CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- The Carolina Panthers went fishing to some extent during the offseason when they signed XFL star P.J. Walker to a two-year, $1,565,000 deal.
So it seemed fitting that Carolina receiver Curtis Samuel celebrated Walker's first NFL touchdown pass in his first NFL start by pretending to reel in a fish as he sat in the right corner of the end zone.
Walker was headed for a potential XFL MVP award when the league was shut down because of the COVID-19 pandemic. He had 15 touchdown passes during a 5-0 start for the Houston Roughnecks.
That earned him a reunion with former Temple coach Matt Rhule in Charlotte for Rhule's first season as an NFL head coach. Rhule made Walker the starter on Sunday with Teddy Bridgewater nursing a sprained right knee suffered a week ago.
Walker didn't disappoint during the first three quarters with his 17-yard touchdown to Samuel on a corner route, giving Carolina a 14-0 lead.
Drop. it. in. pic.twitter.com/lD8mS8gG3B
— Carolina Panthers (@Panthers) November 22, 2020