Carolina Panthers wide receiver Adam Thielen could’ve called it quits on a long and successful NFL career earlier this offseason. But he didn’t, and he recently explained why.

The veteran pass catcher chatted with Pro Football Network’s Allison Koehler ahead of his ninth appearance in the American Century Championship, a celebrity golf tournament, taking place next weekend. And Thielen, who turns 35 years old in August, doesn’t seem ready to hop off the Panthers’ current upward trajectory.

“Leadership in the organization right now was a big part of why I came back,” he told Koehler. “I believed in what they were going to do this offseason — bringing in strong leaders and talent both in free agency and the draft. And then, obviously, Bryce Young and just some of the guys in the locker room that I have so much respect for and feel like are a huge part of this organization being successful.”

Thielen, despite missing a chunk of time due to a hamstring injury, was a part of Carolina’s (relatively) successful finish to 2024. He led the team in receiving over their final seven games, notching 40 catches for 506 yards and four touchdowns.

As he’s done in the past, Thielen then contemplated his retirement following the season. But after some reflection, and a nice little pay raise for 2025, the two-time Pro Bowler committed to the third and final year of his contract.

So, what will Thielen do when he ultimately decides to walk away from the game? He told Koehler that he’s looking forward to coaching up his kids . . . and the links.

“My boys are pretty into sports right now, and I was able to coach quite a bit this spring,” he stated. “But being as involved as possible in my kids’ lives will be great. And then dabbling here and there and playing a lot of golf.”

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This article originally appeared on Panthers Wire: Adam Thielen reveals why he wanted to return to the Panthers for 2025