NFL
XFL’s Best Player Flashed NFL Superstar Potential in 1st 2021 Action
Former XFL MVP P.J. Walker showed flashes of superstar potential in his 1st preseason action of 2021 and is a player to watch going forward
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Carolina Panthers QB P.J. Walker‘s path to the NFL has been anything but traditional. In 2017, he signed with the Indianapolis Colts as an undrafted free agent, spending most of his time on the practice squad before being released prior to the 2019 season. Walker then had a brief stint in the XFL (an independent league founded by WWE executive Vince McMahon), where he started to garner national attention, winning the only MVP in the renovated league’s history after a dominant 2020 campaign before COVID suspended the season.
The Temple product received another opportunity in the NFL with the Panthers under Matt Rhule, who was his head coach at Temple. After spending most of the 2020 season riding the bench and with no preseason reps to learn from, Walker came out strong in his first preseason action of 2021. The QB depth chart in Carolina is far from set, and it appears that the former XFL superstar has the potential to overtake Sam Darnold as QB1 and is certainly a player to watch going forward.
PJ Walker: 3️⃣ Big-Time Throws in Week 1 of the preseason (T-1st)
— PFF (@PFF) August 17, 2021
Should there be a QB controversy in Carolina? 👀pic.twitter.com/R2ajsKPDlh
THE XFL’S BEST PLAYER FLASHED NFL SUPERSTAR POTENTIAL IN 1ST 2021 ACTION
P.J. Walker played for most of Carolina’s first preseason game of 2021 since recent acquisition Sam Darnold, who is presumed to be the Panthers’ Week 1 starter, sat out. The former Temple standout took full advantage of the opportunity, throwing for 161 passing yards and one touchdown. It is still very early in the process, but it appears that Walker currently has the edge over Will Grier in the battle for the backup QB spot.
Although he did not put up monster stats, Walker showed flashes of brilliance as a dual-threat quarterback, improvising in the pocket and using his legs to extend plays. One of his best throws came on a broken play in which he scrambled away from a defender to find rookie TE Tommy Tremble in the back of the end zone for a seven-yard TD that had flashes of NFL superstar Patrick Mahomes. As he continues to develop, the XFL superstar has a chance to surprise in the NFL and take the league by storm.
PJ Walker: 3️⃣ Big-Time Throws in Week 1 of the preseason (T-1st)
— PFF (@PFF) August 17, 2021
Should there be a QB controversy in Carolina? 👀pic.twitter.com/R2ajsKPDlh
What a play by @pjwalker_5 😱
— NFL (@NFL) August 15, 2021
📺: #CARvsIND on @NFLNetwork (or check local listings)
📱: https://t.co/ItciNYd3S4 pic.twitter.com/CNm8r6Bsk9
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