CHARLOTTE — For weeks now, Jalen Coker has tried to keep his excitement at bay. Conversations would arise about his role in this Carolina Panthers' offense, his future with the team, and a possible extension on the horizon, the last a topic since the end of the 2025 season when Coker staked his claim as WR2.

But throughout each conversation, each nudge or question about a possible extension, Coker would simply smile and push it off, not wanting to get ahead of himself while talks were underway.

"It definitely was hard to hide excitement that was slowly starting to build," admitted Coker on Friday, sitting in front of the contract he had just finished signing that will keep him in Charlotte through at least 2029.

"But at the same time I didn't want to make it too big to where it was distracting me from the work that we were putting in these past eight weeks."

Finally, on Thursday, the receiver and the Panthers came to an agreement, a three-year extension that marks the first extension for a player general manager Dan Morgan has drafted or signed since beginning his tenure.

"I feel like I did my best to put the team first in everything that I do, so I waited till the very, very last second before I told my family and all that stuff to get really excited, so it was a process, but obviously worth it," said Coker.

It also marks a success story for the front office, the coaching staff, and Coker himself, the undrafted free agent whom the Panthers first identified as a diamond in the rough in 2024, who coaches have developed in line with their club philosophy.

"I think it's just kind of a testament to the team, the staff," thanked Coker. "I've dealt with my fair share of injuries, and for them to continue to believe in me and to see light at the end of the tunnel when things are kind of getting dark at certain points.

"Not to mention my fiancée as well," he continued, pointing to his recently betrothed sitting to the side, "just continuing to stand by me at all points. I think it's a group thing, it's not just me, it's not just them, it's a group culmination of everything that makes it all possible."

The two will enjoy the fruits of this new contract, although not with an updated wedding budget — "It absolutely does not (get updated). It does not go up," he laughed, before conceding, "maybe the honeymoon budget a little bit."

And for Coker, this extension serves as validation for all he's done to get to this point, working from the bottom of a depth chart and through injuries, to establish himself as a valuable piece to the tune of 394 receiving yards last season, with three touchdowns despite missing the first six games, plus nine receptions for 134 yards and a score in the wild card game against the Rams.

"I feel like coming in undrafted, then getting hurt, I feel like that was pressure, trying to be like, oh my gosh, I've done nothing, and there's nothing to show for it. But now I've created a little body of work for myself, I just feel like now's the easy part. Now it's just go out there and play.

"I just have to continue to do that at a high level. It's never been about pressure. It's always been about, like, just what can I do with the opportunities that I'm given.

"So I think this is an amazing opportunity. I'm truly grateful, but the work's not done. It's not finished. I'm going to continue to keep playing and keep working."

With the signed contract in front of him, a promise between him and Carolina to continue to chase greatness together for at least the next three years, the natural inclination is to look back on that day two years ago when he first entered the league as an undrafted rookie, unsure of what the future would hold.

"I'd just tell (that Jalen) to keep going," he mused, before pausing. "Or maybe nothing at all. Because I don't want to change the story at all, I think it worked out exactly the way it should have, and I'm just looking forward to right now and just continuing to win football games for this team."