Panthers rookie TE Ja'Tavion Sanders jokes about his viral 'Welcome to the NFL' moment

Welcome to the NFL, Ja’Tavion Sanders.

The Carolina Panthers rookie tight end tasted more than just defeat in his very first regular-season game on Sunday. He also, thanks to New Orleans Saints defensive end Chase Young, got a sample of the turf over at Caesars Superdome . . .

Sanders was asked about the humbling hit on Monday.

“Honestly, we had a run play and Chase Young just ran straight through my face,” he said with a smile. “That was my real wake-up call to the NFL—just knowing that you can’t outmuscle every guy, that these are all grown-[expletive] men and they all strong as hell.”

With injuries to fellow tight ends Tommy Tremble and Ian Thomas, Sanders got the starting nod in his NFL debut this weekend. The 2024 fourth-round pick played 43 of the offense’s 59 snaps, recording one catch for four yards in the 47-10 loss.