In the spring of 2020, the second version of the XFL came into the world. Although the XFL season was cut short one player came into the spotlight. That player was quarterback PJ Walker. In the XFL he was the unanimous MVP. Using that spotlight Walker landed a spot on the roster of the Carolina Panthers. Once Teddy Bridgewater became injured in week 10 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Walker was given the go-ahead to start for the Panthers in week 11 against the Detroit Lions. Although Walker did not play like a top 10 QB, he played good football and lead his team to a shutout victory.
PJ Walker threw for 258 yards on 34 attempts, completing 70.6% of his passes. He also threw 1 touchdown and 2 interceptions. Despite his lackluster stats, Walker played far better than his number reflect. He consistently marched the Panther’s offense down the field and made plays. He also made excellent throw after excellent throw. However, this was against the Lions’ sloppy defensive secondary.
Despite his success on the field, Walker struggled in the red-zone, and in scoring situations. Both of his picks were in the end-zone. Not only that, on two promising drives in the second half the offense stalled. They eventually had to settle for a pair of field goals.
In a game where the Panthers should have blown out the Lions by at least 30 points. But, they only won by 20. Some would say that it was Walker’s fault. And he did miss a few key opportunities and throws. However, in the end, Walker still confidently lead the offense and led them to a win. PJ Walker translated his former XFL experience into his NFL success. If he can continue his success, you can expect PJ Walker to be in the NFL for a long time.
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