CHARLOTTE — Around once a week, typically on Tuesdays, Trevin Wallace's phone lights up.

It's Shaq Thompson, ready to go over that week's tape.

"Me and him text," Wallace shared this past Wednesday, ahead of the Panthers' matchups with the Bills. "He texted me yesterday.

"What's crazy is it's stuff like that he sees on film that I can do better or things I'm doing good…he still gives me tips."

A longtime veteran at the position, and mentor to Wallace when he was drafted last season, Thompson giving the second-year middle linebacker tips, tricks, and advice—in and of itself—isn't that strange. But Thompson still had some football in him when he and the Panthers concluded their time together this past offseason, and he signed with the Buffalo Bills. The same Bills team that will be across the field today, ready to take on Wallace and the Panthers.

Sunday is just one day, though, and for Wallace and Thompson, the relationship the two established last year as rookie and 10-year vet was strong enough to last through early season injuries (Thompson suffered a season ending injury four games into 2024), free agent signings, Week 8 matchups, and the distance from here to Western New York.

Thompson sees it as his duty to be the steady voice in Wallace's life and progression as a linebacker.

"We just always talk. I watch his games just to give him some pointers and stuff like that," Thompson said this week, sharing why it's been so important to keep the lines of communication and film studies going with Wallace.

"That's my little bro to me, so to make sure he's always good..I had Luke (Kuechly). I had TD (Thomas Davis), older guys who had experience, super experienced, and he's just one of the guys—I just want to make sure that he's always good.

"I want him to thrive. I want him to get paid, and I want him to play well; I take pride in that because I was there with him and I know what type of potential that he could have for that team and for that organization and for himself."

Back in Charlotte, Wallace has been able to implement some of the tips and insight he receives from Thompson during these informal film sessions. It's been part of the reason Wallace's production has jumped in recent weeks. He currently has 32 tackles, with two for loss, and three passes defended.

"A whole bunch," Wallace answers immediately when asked how much of Thompson's advice he's been able to bring to his game this season. "Like a whole bunch. When he sees something, I go execute and do it, and I text him like, 'Hey, you seen that?' And he's like, 'That's good, keep doing it.' And certain things that he sees like, 'Hey, you can work on this better or do this better.'"

While Thompson has kept his promise to mentor Wallace despite no longer sharing a locker room, he made a different promise to another teammate—Chuba Hubbard—when leaving Charlotte this past spring, one he'll get a chance to keep this afternoon.

"When he was having the possibility of like maybe leaving here, he'd always say, 'If I'm gone, I'm coming after you. I'm going to get number 30,'" Hubbard can't help but laugh as he tells the story this past week.

"He's just annoying as hell, but that's my dog. It'll be fun to go up against him finally. We used to always talk about it all the time, so it (will) definitely be cool."

Hubbard and Thompson hadn't had a chance to talk recently, as of Thursday afternoon, but the Panthers' running back was planning to get some trash talk in before today's game.

"I was meaning to call. I'm going to call him today, throw some jabs," Hubbard smirked. "I know he'll have a few jabs for me. Like I said, he's a ball player, one of the best I've been around, so if you go up against a guy like that, it'll be fun."

Game day will inevitably be unique for Shaq Thompson, Trevin Wallace, and Chuba Hubbard. It won't be the last time they talk, probably even this week. But it will be the first time they've faced each other from opposite sidelines, in opposing uniforms, hoping for vastly different outcomes in a game.

"I wonder what he's going to say when Sunday comes around pregame," mused Wallace. "I wonder what he's going to say, but I feel like it's going to be all love."

Because Sunday is just one day, and once it's over, Tuesday and the weekly texts will still be there.