Carolina Panthers wide receiver Adam Thielen caused a bit of a stir during locker room cleanout last month when he said retirement was an option.
The 34-year-old put that to rest Thursday in New Orleans when he told the team website he was returning for a 12th season.
But Thielen made it clear he seriously contemplated retirement, making sure all of his family was in Atlanta for Carolina’s regular-season finale just in case that was his final game.
“Because I kind of told them at that point this could be it,” Thielen told Panthers.com. “I was pretty exhausted … to the point where I’m in the middle of the road, like a big part of me wants to keep playing and giving everything I’ve got.
“And a big part of me is like I’m ready to move on and spent more time with my family and move on to the second career. But again, once I make that mindset of like, ‘All right, I’m doing this,’ it’s all in.”
Thielen is heading into the last year of a three-year, $25 million contract he signed with Carolina in 2023 after spending his entire NFL career with his home-state Minnesota Vikings.
He’s scheduled to count $8,005,235 against the 2025 salary cap.
Thielen caught 48 passes for 615 yards and five touchdowns this season despite missing seven games with a hamstring injury. He had a team-best 103 catches for 1,014 yards in 2023.
He has 685 career receptions for 8,311 yards and 64 touchdowns. He’s fifth all-time among undrafted players in league history in catches and yards, and fourth in touchdowns.
But as Thielen said immediately after the season, he still believes he can contribute.
“I’m a competitor,” he said. “I want that ball. I feel I can still play at a high level and want to help this team win.”
