EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. – Ron Rivera didn’t have a game ball to give away, but he did know who he wanted to break down the huddle in the victorious Panthers’ locker room.
It wasn’t a guy anyone would have expected before Sunday.
“It was special,” said Rivera’s choice, wideout Kaelin Clay. “Especially for the journey I've been on.”
The latest path on Clay’s road was a 60-yard punt return that gave Carolina the deciding points in a back-and-forth second half against the Jets. It was the Panthers’ first punt return touchdown since Philly Brown’s wild muff-turned-score against the Bears on Oct.