A social media apology may not be enough for this Carolina Panthers wide receiver. Tempers flared at Bank of America Stadium as it didn’t take long for the NFL to see it’s first ejection of the season.
In a game where Bryce Young already looked dialed in, he would’ve had to play the remainder of it without a key receiver. Drafted No. 32 overall in 2024, this 24-year-old is looking to expand on his 497 yard rookie season.
Xavier Legette’s Apology Not Enough as Dave Canales Issues Bold Warning
Sheduer Sanders stole the spotlight as the Cleveland Browns defeated the Panthers, 30-10. Young went 4-6 with 58 yards and a touchdown to Jalen Coker in his limited time on the field. Tetairoa McMillan is already turning heads as he’s lived up to the hype.
Ultimately, Xavier Legette and Rayshawn Jenkins had something to say of their own. No matter the situation, Dave Caneles knows the fight shouldn’t have happened. Jenkins didn’t exactly make any friends during the team’s joint practice on Wednesday.
The 31-year-old has been in the league since 2017. It’s his first year on the Browns after spending time on the Los Angeles Chargers, Jacksonville Jaguars, and Seattle Seahawks. Jenkins threw a ball at Chuba Hubbard the other day which Legette clearly didn’t forget about.
Panthers nation I apologize It want happen again ‼️‼️ i appreCiate youu all🫡
— Xavier Legette (@XavierLegette) August 8, 2025
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js
Legette issued a quick apology from the locker room, “Panthers nation I apologize it wont happen again. I appreciate you all.” The receiver used a pair of exclamation mark emojis along with the salute to end his post.
Dave Canales’ Reaction to the Receivers Ejection
“I was right in front of it,” Canales said. “We ask our receivers to finish the play with hands on. He had his hands on the guy the whole time through the echo of the whistle.”
Canales continued, “The guy swung and chopped his arms down, and Xavier just kind of held on to his jersey. Then they started exchanging punches. You can’t do that, neither side, both guys got ejected, rightly so. We can’t have that as a part of our game.”
“It’s a physical game; can’t handle that, tempers are going to get hot, but as soon as you throw a punch, all of a sudden we’re at a disadvantage. So we want to see better from X for sure,” Canales added.
If there’s one thing the Panthers coach wanted to be know, it’s that this is a team that plays smart. He acknowledged that Legette didn’t do so, but knew the team looked sloppy at times. Carolina opens their season 0-1 after the 20-point preseason loss.
Nah Xavier Legette was really out there throwing HAYMAKERS 💀pic.twitter.com/2iMWbUoc8p
— FanDuel Sportsbook (@FDSportsbook) August 8, 2025
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js
Social media went into a frenzy with the league’s first fight of the season. Legette did not hold back as it’s clear Wednesday’s actions stuck with him. Standing up for a teammate is one thing, but getting ejected and harming your team is another.
Again, it’s only the preseason. If there was ever a time for a learning experience, it’s now. Canales knows that Legette let the moment get the best of him. With two preseason games left, Legette will look to work on his game ahead of the regular season opener on Sunday, September 7.
Like Heavy Sports’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
The post Panthers HC Issues Bold Warning After 2024 1st Round Pick’s Preseason Ejection appeared first on Heavy Sports.