The Carolina Panthers have decided to part ways with veteran linebacker Shaq Thompson, marking the end of an era for the team.
The franchise has notified Thompson, who is on the verge of becoming an unrestricted free agent, that they will not be extending his contract.
As a result, Thompson is likely to explore different opportunities in free agency.
At 30 years old, Thompson has dedicated the last ten years to the Panthers, although injuries have hampered his participation in recent seasons, limiting him to just six games over the past two years.
Drafted in the first round in 2014, he stands fourth on the franchise’s all-time tackles list with 752, trailing only legends Thomas Davis, Luke Kuechly, and Mike Minter.
In 2015, during his rookie season, he played in the Super Bowl and has been recognized as a team captain five times throughout his career.
Panthers general manager Dan Morgan expressed gratitude for Thompson’s contributions, stating, “We appreciate Shaq’s leadership and dedication over the past 10 seasons.
Always a source of passion and enthusiasm, he was committed to this 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.”
After achieving a personal best of 135 tackles in 2022, Thompson faced a setback in the second week of the 2023 season when he broke his ankle, which caused him to miss the remainder of that season.
Having made his return, he suffered a torn Achilles tendon in Week 4, leading to another early end to his season.
Over his decade-long tenure with the Panthers, Thompson has played in a total of 123 games.
