RB Anthony Tyus III all smiles after Panthers' defensive debacle originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Less than a half-hour after the Carolina Panthers were booed off the Bank of America Stadium field Sunday, undrafted free agent Anthony Tyus III couldn't stop smiling.
As "frustrated" and "embarrassed" as anyone in the Panthers' locker room, following the 43-13 rout by the visiting Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Tyus endured some verbal jabs from teammate Trevor Etienne.
"Hey, is that your first (touchdown)?" the second-year running back asked.
"You know it is," Tyus responded.
"Preseason, don't count," Etienne joked, referring to the rookie's touchdown reception in the preseason-opening Hall of Fame Game in Canton, Ohio, on Aug. 6.
Surrounded by teammates lamenting the unique defeat, Tyus attempted to embrace the moment. While the Panthers lost four turnovers, allowed a blocked extra point to be returned for two points and yielded 258 yards rushing, Tyus will have different memories of the Week 7 matchup.
The Panthers on Sunday became the first NFL team in 66 years – and third ever – to lose a game by at least 30 points, while surrendering fewer than 65 passing yards.
Working on a short week, the NFC South-leading Panthers (3-3) staged a helmet-less walkthrough workout Monday, beginning on-field preparations for Thursday night's engagement at the Green Bay Packers (4-3).
The phrase "revenge" was offered by defensive lineman Tershawn "Turk" Wharton. Defensive captain Derrick Brown concurred.
"Yea, I mean, nobody likes getting their @$$ whooped," Brown said. "That was an embarrassing performance."
Likely, but to Tyus, it was a dream come true.
Despite outcome, Panthers' Anthony Tyus III lives NFL dream
Earning offensive snaps in the fourth quarter, with the Panthers trailing by 37 points, Tyus didn't treat the opportunity as garbage time. With most of the Panthers' starters on the bench, Etienne opened the series with three touches before being replaced by Tyus.
Three plays later, Tyus received a pitchout from backup quarterback Kenny Pickett and raced 12 yards virtually untouched for his first career touchdown.
The former standout at Ohio University certainly felt the pain of the home rout, but it didn't keep the second-year professional from smiling as he rehashed the reality that he scored an NFL touchdown.
"We talked about it, recapped after the game," Tyus said. "Now we got a quick turnaround. So we've got to flip the page."
When asked about how it felt to score a touchdown with the score 43-6, Tyus couldn't help but smile, egged on by Etienne.
"I'm still grateful," Tyus said. "You know, not a lot of people can say they scored a touchdown. Everybody was doing their assignment and me being in the right place at the right time, (I'm) just grateful for the opportunity."
MORE: Has Taylor Moton played final NFL game with Panthers?
A member of the Panthers' practice squad for most of the past two seasons, Tyus made his NFL debut in Week 3 and has settled into a special teams role, dressing for the past four games.
Panthers coach Dave Canales, attempting to bury the Buccaneers outing, described how Tyus earned his position on the 53-man roster.
"Just grit and trusting the whole process and development of what we're doing here," Canales said Monday. "I love that he got some opportunities at the end. I hate that we were in that mode."
But, with the stadium nearly empty, Tyus continued to "execute and finish regardless of what the score says," Canales said.
Despite the Panthers getting their "@$$ whooped," Tyus lived a dream.
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