Charlotte Middle School Football Team Led By NFL Legends
Three Carolina Panthers legends are making the most of their post-NFL days, joining forces on the coaching staff at Charlotte Christian Middle School. The squad now has former tight end Greg Olsen as the head coach, with linebacker Luke Kuechly and running back Jonathan Stewart as his trusty assistants.
An X NFL fan account even captured them out on the field, and according to the Charlotte Observer, all three are ready for action. Charlotte Christian’s second-year high school head coach, Chris James, is thrilled, saying they’re looking forward to an exciting season. “Yeah, I think we have the makings of a great team this year. The problem is, we have a couple of nationally ranked teams in our division.”
Charlotte Christian has a history of winning, with four straight Independent Schools Athletic Association Championships from 2017-2020. And it looks like the middle school team might be on the rise too.
Olsen told the Observer he knows the other teams are ready to give them “a run for their money.” He added, “Chris (James) is doing a great job, and we’re trying to work with him. The kids we have are great. They really want to learn. Oh, I know we’re going to get each team’s best shot. But that’s the fun of playing football. The kids will learn and get better.”
Fans chimed in on social media, with one person saying, “Imagine playing middle school football knowing this is the coaching staff you’re going against.” Another joked, “Sadly, middle school players probably have no idea who they are.” And someone else jokingly said, “Parents probably still yell and say they don’t know what they’re talking about.”
These three aren’t just coaching; they have other gigs in the sports world too. Sports Illustrated reported that Olsen is working as an NFL analyst on Fox, though he’s about to be bumped by Tom Brady. Kuechly just started calling college football games on CBS, and Stewart is busy with an Oregon Ducks-themed show with Kenjon Barner.
In 2017, while playing for the Carolina Panthers, Greg Olsen made history by becoming the third player ever to serve as a game analyst for FOX Sports. He followed in the footsteps of Matt Hasselbeck, who did it in 2014, and Marcus Allen in 1994. Olsen joined a broadcast team to call the Week 11 game between the Rams and the Vikings.
Kuechly, another Panthers legend, was a tackling machine in college, racking up the second-most tackles in NCAA history. He became the most celebrated defensive player in Boston College’s history. Now, he’s earned a spot in the College Football Hall of Fame, becoming the eighth player from Boston College to achieve this honor.
Stewart was picked 13th overall in the 2008 NFL Draft by the Panthers. He became a key player in their backfield for the next 10 years. With 7,318 rushing yards, Stewart holds the record as the all-time leading rusher in Carolina Panthers history.
