Jon Beason shed a tear during the national anthem in Charlotte on Sunday.
Not only because he couldn’t be there playing. But because of the guys who were.
The Giants linebacker spent the first 6 1⁄2 seasons of his career with the Panthers, most of those as the face of the team’s defense if not the franchise. A first-round pick in 2007, he went to three Pro Bowls for the Panthers, but he never got as far as they made it on Sunday, hosting the NFC Championship Game.
And then to win it so convincingly and head to the Super Bowl?