CHARLOTTE — The Panthers want to run the ball; that's part of their DNA.
So they're bringing one of their most physical players in franchise history back this week to help set the tone.
Former Panthers fullback Mike Tolbert is this week's Legend of the Game, and he'll hit the Keep Pounding drum heading into the fourth quarter against the Bears.
Former Panthers running back Mike Tolbert is this week's Legend of the Game, and he'll hit the Keep Pounding drum heading into the fourth quarter against the Bears.
The man they called The Toldozer spent five of his 10 NFL seasons here and was part of a dynamic and multi-faceted run game in the 2010s. He ran for 992 yards, had 19 combined rushing and receiving touchdowns, and was a physical blocker in a backfield that also included guys like Jonathan Stewart and Cam Newton.
Originally an undrafted rookie from Coastal Carolina, Tolbert spent his first four years with the Chargers before coming back to the East Coast. Once he joined the Panthers, he became a two-time All-Pro and a three-time Pro Bowler.
Panthers.com caught up with Tolbert this week to talk about his past with the team, the current outlook, and what it all means now.
Q: As someone who lives in the area and experienced last year's rise and the playoff push, what's it feel like coming into this year's opener?
Tolbert: "I mean, it's extremely exciting to see the path. I remember when Dan (Morgan) and Dave (Canales) had their press conference a few years ago, and it was like, we want to build the team the right way, and you've seen that season after season. So I'm excited about the future. I'm excited about the direction, and plus, football's back, so you can always be excited about that for sure."
Q: When you see the progress this team has made, what's been the most important part of that from your perspective?
Tolbert: "I think one is they've been able to, for the most part, stay pretty healthy. Getting a big guy back in the middle like Derrick Brown after he got hurt a couple of seasons ago was huge for us last year. I think just drafting and signing free agents the right way, we got some big defensive free agent signings this year, and I'm excited to see what they're going to do. We're trending in the right direction, but you've actually still got to go put the work in."
Q: As a power runner, when you look at that defense now with Derrick Brown, Jaelan Phillips, and Devin Lloyd among others, what do you see?
Tolbert: "It's a defense that is on the right track. Having Tre'von Moehrig on the back end, with two really, really, really good corners in Jaycee Horn and Mike Jackson on the outside, and then, just having solid play all around. Obviously, you're going to get All-Pro status from Derrick Brown; we already know that. But who else on that front seven is going to show up? That was our question going into the offseason. Who else is going to make a play, you know what I mean?
"Then you go sign Devin Lloyd, who's probably the top linebacker free agent; you go sign Jaelan Phillips, who's probably the top outside linebacker/rusher-type; you go get guys locked up like that. Now it makes you go, oh my, they saw what we saw. We're all on the same page. So I'm excited about the defense. I think the defense is going to be scary good just because they're good at every level, and that's what it takes to win."
Q: We missed you in Canton earlier this summer for Luke Kuechly's Hall of Fame induction; that had to be hard for you to miss as someone who was so close to him as a teammate?
Tolbert: "I called Luke and had to apologize, man. I had a frat brother's baby shower on the schedule for months. And I couldn't miss that, you know what I'm saying. I'm a man of my word. I told him I was going to be there, and I had to go. Friendship is all we have in this world."
Q: When you think about Luke as a teammate, what did it mean to see him go into the Hall?
Tolbert: "I think it's just a testament to who we all know him to be, you know what I'm saying? He is the ultimate nice guy. He does everything the right way. I was about to say he kisses every hand and shakes every baby, but he shakes every hand and kisses every baby. He is who you want to be the face of a franchise.
"And when he gets on the field, he's the person that you least want to go against because he is that dominant of a player. Seeing him, from his rise to the curly-haired guy with glasses to Clark Kent, the Superman, it was fun to watch, man. And do I believe that he could have done it for another eight or nine years at a high level? Yes, but do I also think that he's happy with what he's accomplished in such a short period of time? Without a doubt. I love Luke like a brother, man, and I wish nothing but the best for him."
Q: As someone who is still in the area, and has done this before, what does it mean for you to hit the Keep Pounding drum and lead the fans in the chant heading into the fourth quarter?
Tolbert: "I would say it is rewarding, just in the simple fact that the work and the energy that I gave the city and this organization is still applicable to who I am and what this city means to me, you know what I'm saying? So to be able to be out there and enjoying that with the fans, . . . once you retire, you don't really get anybody calling your name like that anymore but your kids, you know what I'm saying? So to be out there and, and, and to be able to, to be in that atmosphere again is going to feel great."
Q: The last time we talked, you and your wife were busy in the gym business. Is that still going well, and what do you do to keep yourself busy?
Tolbert: "She does a lot more with it than I do. I kind of keep my nose out of everything. But we're still doing it, still rocking and rolling, man, doing well.
"I clean. I'm not a neat freak, but if something's out of place, I need to put it back, so I keep my house doggone near spotless. And I will go out and golf from time to time and hang out with Stew."
Q: So who's the better golfer, you or Jonathan Stewart?
Tolbert: "It depends on what part of the golf game you're talking about. If you're talking about driving off the tee, that's Stew all day. If you're talking about getting up and down from 30 yards, that might be me."
Q: You always were the short-yardage guy.
Tolbert: "There you go. That's where it's at."
