Colin Granger making Panthers' facility his home ahead of rookie minicamp

May 06, 2025 at 03:00 PM

Kassidy Hill

Carolina Panthers Voluntary Workouts are held on Wednesday, Apr. 30, 2025 at Bank of America Stadium, in Charlotte, NC.

CHARLOTTE — No one is entirely sure when Colin Granger leaves each day.

"Anytime I'm here, he's been here," said one staffer of the Carolina Panthers tight end.

"We're thinking of charging him rent," joked another.

And when you toss out the joke that Granger might actually live in the stadium, Jordan Matthews quickly quips, "Oh, he doesn't?"

Granger signed with the Panthers after five years of playing college basketball. Former college basketball player turned NFL lineman/tight end hybrid George Fant led Granger's conversion in less than a month with training, guidance, and connections. The Panthers signed Granger after a Pro Day workout.

RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA - NOVEMBER 13: Colin Granger #32 of the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers dunks against the North Carolina State Wolfpack during the game at Lenovo Center on November 13, 2024 in Raleigh, North Carolina. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images)

From the moment the Johns Creek, Georgia native walked into Bank of America Stadium, he's made it home.

"I'm here by 6:30 every morning, and I'm here till like 6 or 7 at night usually," Granger began.

"In the early hours of the morning, it's a routine of a sauna, cold tub, and then hot tub…then I have coffee, and then I eat. And then I go in before the meeting at 9, so I get in the in there probably sometimes 8, sometimes 8:30. And I just start reviewing the install for that day and just kind of going over everything or finishing notes from the night before and then after that, our meeting starts, and then we have our regular day from 9 to 1.

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"So 9 to 1, that's all team stuff, team meetings, position meetings, our lift our run, and I'll do some extra stuff after we lift, and then there's a gap where I come to shoot and get some food, then I go get on the jugs machine for a little while. And then after I'm done there, I usually go straight upstairs to just meet with people if I can or just try to learn as much as I can; coaches or whoever can just help teach me stuff."

Those trips to roam the second floor are a crucial part of Granger's day. The chance to pick the brain of a coach or assistant for just a minute,

"And then after that, that usually takes up another hour that brings me to like 3:30, 4, and then 4 I come down and chill, and sometimes I haven't eaten yet, so I eat, or I just kind of relax for a second in the locker room, and then I do the same kind of sauna, ice bath, hot tub thing at the end of the day. Then I go home and just take as many notes as I can until I fall asleep."

The 12-hour(ish) day is long, even by football players' standards. But Granger knows he's been given a rare opportunity, one he doesn't want to miss out on and will do everything to hold on to. A spot even on a 90-man roster isn't guaranteed in the NFL, and keeping the one he's been given—the one he's earned—is an everyday grind.

"I'm really just trying to cram as much information in every single day for as long as I (can), like just as much information as quick as possible," said Granger.

Jordan Matthews made the transition to tight end recently as well, albeit from receiver so another football position. Regardless, there is a learning curve, one that must be attacked with energy to make the jump over those who had a head start. Matthews has seen that approach in his new teammate.

Carolina Panthers Voluntary Workouts are held on Tuesday, Apr. 29, 2025 at Bank of America Stadium, in Charlotte, NC.

"I think that there's a disposition that you should take whenever you're entering something new, and it should always be that 'I'm going to be the person that they tell, hey, slow down, or hey, you're doing too much instead of hey you need to get your stuff going,'" Matthews noted.

"So you know, whenever I'm around here, I have a process I go through, but usually if I'm in this building, I see (Colin), and this is what he should be doing. I think these next couple of years are the most pivotal years for his whole career, so he should be living up here and building that foundation, and I'm happy he's doing that."

Due to Granger's status, he will be allowed to take part in rookie minicamp this weekend. Those sessions are shorter, glorified walk-throughs that allow the players to get a feel for an NFL practice field and learn the building and the coaches. It's why Granger is so grateful for this time in between his signing and the camp: a chance to soak up every morsel of information, reps on the jugs machine, and time around his team. Even if it means he basically has to live here.

Said Granger, "There's no reason I shouldn't be here as much as I can."