Panthers Fan Fest Answers First Questions About New Turf Field With Lighter Practice | Eastern NC Now

Publisher's Note: This post appears here courtesy of The Charlotte Observer. The author of this post is Alaina Getzenberg.


    There was a cheer louder than any that had been heard at Bank of America Stadium in the past year.

    It wasn't for a remarkable play or anything spectacular, but instead just running back Christian McCaffrey coming out of the tunnel and onto the new artificial FieldTurf. When attendance is reduced for an entire season due to COVID-19, the ordinary becomes extraordinary. It was even a change from how he slipped into practice less than a week ago at Gibbs Stadium, largely unnoticed.

    After a Fan Fest last year that featured zero fans, the Carolina Panthers' Friday night practice was a return to the expected, with a crowd that looked to be slightly under 30,000 fans seated around the stadium to witness the team's lightest practice of the week, and the first without full pads since the team was able to start wearing them Tuesday.

    Both sides of the ball took a bit of a slower approach without pads or much contact. The Panthers left the practice without an injury, amid four defensive starters and multiple other players still not fully participating due to various injuries.

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    Read the full article HERE on The Charlotte Observer.