South Charlotte Today

CHARLOTTE — The Panthers will honor a first-ballot Hall of Famer tonight, sharing a distinction with Julius Peppers. This week's Panthers Legend of the Game is former wide receiver/quarterback Armanti Edwards. He will hit the Keep Pounding drum leading into the fourth quarter against the Jets, offering fans an opportunity to celebrate with a Carolinas icon.

Edwards, a native of Greenwood, S.C., will be inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in December alongside Peppers. Known for his record-breaking performances and championships at Appalachian State, Edwards led the Mountaineers to two FCS titles and was part of "that team that beat Michigan" in 2007.

With a 42-7 record as a starter for Appalachian State, Edwards amassed 14,753 yards of total offense and 139 touchdowns. He holds the FCS record for career rushing touchdowns by a quarterback with 65.

Drafted in the third round in 2010 by the Panthers, Edwards faced challenges including joining a team with a coach in his final contract year who showed little interest in developing rookies. The NFL lockout also disrupted his second year. Despite some quarterback practice snaps in 2010, Cam Newton's arrival shifted Edwards to receiver and return man roles. Former coach Ron Rivera named him MVP of training camp in 2013.

Edwards' professional journey included playing in Canada where he won a Grey Cup with the Toronto Argonauts and briefly teamed up with Panthers Director of Legends Affairs Jeremy Kelley.

In college football history, Edwards was notable as the first quarterback to throw for over 10,000 yards and rush for over 4,000 yards in his career. He was also the first back-to-back winner of the Walter Payton Award.

Panthers.com recently interviewed Edwards about his past experiences and current endeavors.

"It's just been a whirlwind of a year being inducted into the College Hall of Fame," said Edwards about returning to Bank of America Stadium. "It's always good to come back and see that there is still support here in Carolina."

Reflecting on relationships with former teammates like Steve Smith and position coach Ricky Proehl, Edwards expressed gratitude: "They've been great... I had an opportunity to catch up with them when Steve was inducted into North Carolina's Hall of Fame... If I have the opportunity to see him again Saturday night, it'll be great again."

Discussing mentorship from Smith during his transition to receiver: "Steve... he's definitely one of those mentors you would want as a young guy... He poured in a lot of time and gave knowledge to us young guys."

On learning from Proehl: "He was actually the guy that helped me most as a receiver when it started clicking... He's the first and only one who took time to teach me."

Regarding public recognition related to his college achievements: "That's pretty much all the time... The Michigan game is always part of conversations now."

Currently working as a financial representative at Northwestern Mutual after majoring in graphic art and minoring in finance at Appalachian State, Edwards aims to advocate for younger athletes: "I just wanted to try to be one of those people that can be an advocate for the next generation."

Reconnecting with Kelley from their CFL days adds another layer to his story: "It was kind of a small world... We were both in minicamp in Saskatchewan... It absolutely is a small world."