Ex-NFL player Rae Carruth was released from prison Monday morning after spending nearly two decades behind bars on charges stemming from the murder of his pregnant girlfriend.
Carruth, a former wide receiver for the Carolina Panthers, was sentenced to 18 to 24 years in 2001 after a jury found him guilty of conspiring to murder Cherica Adams.
“I’m excited about just being out of here. I’m nervous just about how I’ll be received by the public,” Carruth said in a phone interview with ABC affiliate WSOC-TV on Sunday. “I still have to work. I still have to live. I have to exist out there and it just seems like there is so much hate and negativity toward me. I’m actually somewhat frightened.”
Bryce Young’s rookie season with the Carolina Panthers was challenging, falling short of the high expectations for a No. 1 overall pick. The Panthers’ offense ranked last in both yards (265.3) and points (13.9) per game, with Young posting a passer rating of 73.7. These struggles were compounded by frequent changes in offensive play-callers and the midseason firing of head coach Frank Reich and several offensive staff members. Despite these setbacks, veteran Panthers wide receiver Adam Thielen believes the adversity faced by Young will ultimately prove beneficial. “I told Bryce after the season was over, I said, ‘I know this was a difficult season for you and many others,’ but I think it’s the best thing that could happen to him,” Thielen shared on an upcoming appearance on Monday’s edition of NFL Network’s The Insiders. “The things that were out of his control that happened, I really think made him a stronger leader, stronger person, stronger man. I’m really excited to see him take what happened last year and really build off of it. Take some of the positives and learn from the negatives as a team as well. I’m really excited to see his career unfold and I’m glad and very excited to be a part of the first few years to see what happens.”
Thielen’s support was evident throughout the season, as he recorded 103 receptions for 1,014 yards and four touchdowns. With an upgraded receiving corps featuring Diontae Johnson and rookie Xavier Legette. Thielen is optimistic about the growth of young players like Jonathan Mingo and Terrace Marshall Jr., anticipating a stronger Panthers offense in the upcoming season.
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