Panthers Share Christmas Memories

A handful of players answer the question: "What was the best Christmas present you got when you were a kid?"

Tight end Greg Olsen

“I think I got a sled one year. Growing up in New Jersey we had snow, so that was always exciting when you’d get a new flying saucer or a new – not a sled with rails – but a modern-day version of a sled. That was always fun. You’d just hope it was snowing on Christmas. That was one of the nice luxuries of living up north."

Linebacker Luke Kuechly

“My first fly rod. I was new to fly fishing, so I got a fly rod on Christmas. It came with a rod, the reel, the line, some flies. So I had the whole deal ready to go."

Quarterback Derek Anderson

“I had two favorite things. My mom got me one of those little fake rifles, where you just pump it and, ‘Pop!’ And then when I got Nintendo. My dad had Nintendo at his house, but I didn’t have it, so then I got that and played Tecmo Bowl."

Tight end Brandon Williams

“My very first Xbox. The first game I got was NBA Live. I was so excited because I usually don’t get big gifts like that. But my grandparents, my mom and my dad, they came up with the money for it, and I guess they waited in line to get one. I played it the whole Christmas break, nonstop."

Guard Trai Turner

“I got a Nerf gun, and it was convertible, so it could have been a water gun, and it could have been a dart gun. I got it on Christmas Eve, and you know how your family gathers up that night? Well, I didn’t bring it inside. I left it in the car. So my cousin got to open up one of his presents, and he got the same Nerf gun. But he didn’t know it had the water and the darts. He just knew it had the darts. So he’s hitting me, and I went to the car, got mine, filled it up and then squirted him with water all over the house. He was so mad. And then it was Christmas, so I couldn’t get punished."

Quarterback Cam Newton​

“I had a favorite Christmas. I remember getting a college jersey. It was a Florida State, Warrick Dunn jersey. And my brother got a Joe Hamilton, Georgia Tech jersey, number 14. So they were on the sofa, and I was like, ‘Oh my goodness, boom. Got that.’ So I’m happy, and my mom’s presentation is top of the charts. She put all of the less juicy presents first, and she stashed away the Playstation. At the end, she was like, ‘Oh, you have something else there.’ So then I had the Playstation, a jersey, and then she told me to go get some laundry from downstairs. I’m like, ‘Laundry, mom? It’s Christmas. That can wait. I’ve got to set up the Playstation.’ It was a brand new bike. Dude, somebody got a bonus. She got a raise. Pops did something, man. But that was the best Christmas ever."