The competition doesn’t stop off the field for NFL players. Sometimes it’s even in the form of a ping-pong game.
For the Carolina Panthers, it’s no different. You can hear the ball going back and forth on the table as veteran tight end Hayden Hurst answers questions from the media.
Panther TE Hayden Hurst says he has not been a part of a season like this before. Hear why he's starting to be more vocal as the team heads into Week 6: pic.twitter.com/YRwBBHBrbK
— Carla Metts Gebhart (@CarlaGebhart) October 9, 2023
“Starting to be more vocal,” Hurst said. “Like I said, I don’t care who we’re playing, I don’t care what our record is, I just want to see guys compete …”
*as the pingpong continues*
Some of the guys use pong as a means of a routine, with cornerback Jaycee Horn saying the moment he would get off the practice field, he and Brian Burns would continue their feud in the form of bouncing balls and paddles.
Back in the spring of 2019, Saquon Barkley purchased a ping-pong table for the New York Giants locker room. It remained in the middle of the area where the team hosts tournaments to continue the competitive edge.
You could look over at the two-time Pro Bowl running back who would be drenched in sweat as he played in Rafael Nadal-like form. He wasn’t the best player by any means, but certainly improved over time according to then-receiver David Sills.
But Barkley has always been a competitor.
“That’s how I’ve always been,” Barkley told NJ.com in January. “It started as a kid. I used to race my dad in who could eat spaghetti the fastest. My parents always said I was a very competitive kid from the get-go. I can’t explain it. I just like to win.”
Pingpong remains supreme within the Dolphins organization, too. They even designed a custom table.
Wednesday: Mike McDaniel praises team captains for removing ping pong table in locker room, so they can better focus on opponents
Thursday: Tyreek Hill says reason the table was removed was because it was bent & they are ordering new custom-designed one (via @DavidFurones_) pic.twitter.com/hMWEhI3bpf
— NFL on CBS 🏈 (@NFLonCBS) October 13, 2022
Hey, whatever gets the job done.
But if you’re the 0-5 Panthers, perhaps the noise of a ping-pong game in the background of an interview isn’t the best look.
[Carla Metts Gebhart on Twitter]
