SANTA CLARA -- The last time 49ers punter Bradley Pinion was on the Carolina Panthers' home field, he walked off with a win … and a trophy.
In 2008 Pinion, who grew up just outside of Charlotte, N.C., took part in an NFL Punt, Pass and Kick Competition at halftime of a Panthers game. As you'd expect from someone who handles punts and kickoffs for an NFL team, the 14-year-old Pinion excelled in two of the categories. He wasn't too shabby in the third, either.
"The kicking and punting, yeah," he said. "But people don't realize I can actually throw the ball, too.