The Panthers on Wednesday officially signed wide receiver Keith Kirkwood, who spent the last two seasons in New Orleans.
Before Kirkwood starts running routes for the Panthers, get to know the wide receiver:
Coaching connections
During his time in New Orleans, Kirkwood worked with one of his future coaches in Carolina. In 2018, his rookie season overlapped with Joe Brady's stint in New Orleans as an offensive assistant.
But the coaching connections date back earlier than that.
Kirkwood began his college career at the University of Hawaii before transferring to Temple, where Matt Rhule was the Owls' head coach. During Kirkwood's redshirt junior season in 2016, the Owls won the AAC title and he finished second on the team in receiving yards.
A hooper at heart
Kirkwood didn't begin playing football until his senior year in high school. Before that, basketball was his No. 1 love.
In 2013, he earned a nomination on the McDonald's All-American High School Basketball Team. He also played AAU alongside current NBA stars like Karl-Anthony Towns, DeAndre' Bembry, Wade Baldwin and Malachi Richardson. Kirkwood actually had plans to play college hoops at Davidson, but then he suited up in the fall and fell in love with football. The rest is history.
All about family
As a senior in high school, Kirkwood's life changed forever, and it wasn't because he put on a pair of shoulder pads.
Kirkwood became a father to his daughter, Aria. Before she was born, her biological father passed away, but Kirkwood stepped in immediately to fill the void alongside his girlfriend. Since then, Aria has been just as important in Kirkwood's life as he has been in hers. She was one of the reasons he transferred to Temple after starting his college career at Hawaii, and Kirkwood credits Aria with keeping him on the right path during his college years.
View photos of Keith Kirkwood who spent the 2018 and 2019 seasons in New Orleans.
New Orleans Saints wide receiver Keith Kirkwood (18) runs with the ball during an NFL football game against the Cincinnati Bengals, Sunday, Nov. 11, 2018 in Cincinnati. (NFL Photos via AP)
New Orleans Saints wide receiver Keith Kirkwood (18) celebrates his first down pass reception in the first half of an NFL football game against the Philadelphia Eagles in New Orleans, Sunday, Nov. 18, 2018. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
New Orleans Saints wide receiver Keith Kirkwood (18) runs with the ball during an NFL football game against the Cincinnati Bengals, Sunday, Nov. 11, 2018 in Cincinnati. (NFL Photos via AP)
New Orleans Saints wide receiver Keith Kirkwood (18) makes a touchdown catch over Dallas Cowboys cornerback Anthony Brown (30) during the second half of an NFL football game, in Arlington, Texas, Thursday, Nov. 29, 2018. (AP Photo/Ron Jenkins)
New Orleans Saints receiver Keith Kirkwood (18) catches a 30 yard pass for a touchdown during a 2018 NFL week 13 regular season game against the Dallas Cowboys, Thursday, Nov. 29, 2018 in Arlington, Texas. The Cowboys defeated the Saints, 13-10. (James D. Smith via AP)
New Orleans Saints wide receiver Keith Kirkwood (18) looks up from the sideline with his helmet off during a NFL Thursday Night Football game against the Dallas Cowboys, Thursday, Nov. 29, 2018 in Arlington, Tex. The Cowboys won the game 13-10. (Paul Jasienski via AP)
New Orleans Saints wide receiver Keith Kirkwood (18) celebrates a touchdown in an NFL game against the Atlanta Falcons, Thursday, Nov. 22, 2018 in New Orleans. (Margaret Bowles via AP)
New Orleans Saints wide receiver Keith Kirkwood (18) pulls in a touchdown reception in front of Philadelphia Eagles cornerback Josh Hawkins (48) in the first half of an NFL divisional playoff football game in New Orleans, Sunday, Jan. 13, 2019. (AP Photo/Bill Feig)
New Orleans Saints wide receiver Keith Kirkwood (18) before an NFL football game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Sunday, Dec. 9, 2018, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Mark LoMoglio)
New Orleans Saints wide receiver Keith Kirkwood (18) runs after a catch against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the first half of an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 9, 2018, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Jason Behnken)
New Orleans Saints wide receiver Keith Kirkwood (18) catches a touchdown pass during a Week 13 NFL game against the Dallas Cowboys on Thursday, Nov. 29, 2018 in Arlington, Texas. The Cowboys defeated the Saints 13-10. (Kevin Terrell via AP)
New Orleans Saints wide receiver Keith Kirkwood (18) speaks with quarterback Teddy Bridgewater (5) during an NFL football game against the Cincinnati Bengals, Sunday, Nov. 11, 2018 in Cincinnati. (NFL Photos via AP)
New Orleans Saints wide receiver Keith Kirkwood (18) celebrates his first down pass reception in the first half of an NFL football game against the Philadelphia Eagles in New Orleans, Sunday, Nov. 18, 2018. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
New Orleans Saints wide receiver Keith Kirkwood (18) runs past New York Jets' Neville Hewitt (46) during the first half of a preseason NFL football game Saturday, Aug. 24, 2019, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Noah K. Murray)
New Orleans Saints wide receiver Keith Kirkwood (18) runs with the ball after a catch during an NFL football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday, Dec. 23, 2018 in New Orleans. New Orleans won 31-28. (Peter Read Miller via AP)
New Orleans Saints wide receiver Keith Kirkwood (18) lines up for the snap during a Philadelphia Eagles and New Orleans Saints NFL divisional football playoff game in New Orleans, Sunday, Jan. 13, 2019. The Saints beat the Eagles 20-14. (Matt Patterson via AP)
New Orleans Saints wide receiver Keith Kirkwood (18) pulls in a touchdown reception in front of Philadelphia Eagles cornerback Josh Hawkins (48) in the first half of an NFL divisional playoff football game in New Orleans, Sunday, Jan. 13, 2019. (AP Photo/Bill Feig)
