Robbie Anderson has changed the spelling of his first name; he’s changed his number; and he’s now changed his mind.
The Panthers receiver said he was “thinking out loud” when he tweeted last week that he was considering retirement.
“I’m here, ain’t I?” Anderson answered rhetorically Wednesday when asked about his retirement talk, via Jonathan Alexander of The Charlotte Observer.
Anderson said he was going through some personal things when he tweeted “Ain’t gone lie. Thinking about Retirement.” He deleted it soon after.
It took the Panthers by surprise.
“At first, it was kind of a surprise, and I just took it in,” said quarterback Sam Darnold, who played with Anderson for two years with the Jets. “I was surprised at first and waited til mandatory minicamp and he was here (to find out more about it).
“There’s a lot of ways to look at that.”
Anderson, 29, signed a two-year, $29.5 million extension with the Panthers last year after a career year in 2020 when he caught 95 passes for 1,096 yards. Anderson restructured the deal in March, converting $11.675 million of his salary into a signing bonus, and he’d have to pay that back if he were to retire.
He skipped the team’s organized team activities to train at home in Florida before showing up for the mandatory minicamp this week. Anderson was limited in his participation in team drills, though, because of hip soreness.
Anderson changed the spelling of his first name from Robby and changed his jersey number from 11 to 3, which he wore in high school. He said he also is taking a new approach after 53 receptions for 519 yards in 2021.
“I don’t look back. I just look back on what I can improve and control and keep it simple,” Anderson said. “Everything that I can control. Myself and what I do and make the most of my opportunities, and work, elevate, and grow.”
