Shaq Thompson Sep 15, 2024; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Panthers linebacker Shaq Thompson (54), guard Chandler Zavala (62) and safety Nick Scott (21) take the field during the first quarter against the Los Angeles Chargers at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images
By Robert O'Neill on

The Carolina Panthers were one of the NFL’s surprise teams last season, going 5-12 and finishing third place in the NFC South in their first season under head coach Dave Caneles.

While five wins may not seem like much, it was night and day from Carolina’s disastrous 2-15 finish in the 2023 season.

More impressively, the Panthers got to five wins without one of their defensive leaders. Linebacker Shaq Thompson tore his Achilles in September and appeared in just four games on the season.

Carolina must have found life comfortable without Thompson, though. On Monday, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that the linebacker would hit the free agent market for the first time in his NFL career.

“We appreciate Shaq’s leadership and dedication over the past 10 seasons. Always a source of passion and enthusiasm, he was committed to the organization on and off the field, poured into his teammates, and strived to bring out the best in them. We wish Shaq the best as he moves forward with his career,” Panthers general manager Dan Morgan said in a statement.

Thompson, Carolina’s longest-tenured defensive player, had been with the team since they drafted him in the first round of the 2015 NFL Draft. His 470 tackles are the fourth-most in Panthers history.

Injuries have plagued the linebacker in the past two seasons, though. In 2024, he had the Achilles injury, while in 2023, his season ended after just two games with a broken leg.

Before playing college football for the Washington Huskies, Thompson had a brief stint in the Boston Red Sox farm system, where he went 0-39 with 37 strikeouts.

While the injuries of the past two seasons could concern teams, Thompson is likely to find a spot elsewhere in the league.

Social media had a lot to say about the news.

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