Panthers defensive tackle Derrick Brown had something to celebrate as the team’s offseason program got underway on Monday.
Brown signed a four-year, $96 million contract extension with the team ahead of the start of the first phase of the team’s workouts and said it “was important” for the team to make the kind of commitment they made to him with that deal.
“You know, it’s an awesome feeling, I feel like the organization put the belief in me, and allow me just to be able to do what I do,” Brown said, via Darin Gantt of the team’s website. “Never put too much pressure on me, having high expectations for me always, but allowing me to just be who I am while doing what I do, right? I think it’s no pressure but high expectations. So it’s more what our coaches expect from us, and you have to use that voice to be the highest voice. And that allows me to be able to go out and not listen to too many people or let anybody else’s pain affect me and just be able to walk in a room and sit down and talk and then I know exactly what our game plan for the week is. Hearing you talk about it and being able to know just exactly what they expect for the week.”
Brown’s first day with his new deal was also head coach Dave Canales and General Manager Dan Morgan’s first day working with the team since being hired earlier this year. Brown said conversations with them have made it clear “everybody wants to change the culture” after going 2-15 last year and the Brown deal shows how much the Panthers believe he is a big part of that process.
