The current Carolina Panthers season has been a rollercoaster through fifteen weeks. The drops from the highest hills convert reserved energy into thrilling speed, propelling the team and its fans through loops, dips, and runs. A rollercoaster serves as a shrewd metaphor for sports. It also stands for life and the ups and downs it deals us. That’s a sentiment that hits home for the Panthers’ 2025 Fan of the Year.
Winning Panthers’ Fan of the Year Was Unexpected But Well-Deserved
Lawrence “Talon” Wilkinson, a native North Carolinian who grew up in Fayetteville and moved to Angier at age eight, has been named the Carolina Panthers’ 2025 Fan of the Year. The Panthers’ organization chose Wilkinson for fully embodying the NFL’s judging criteria, which comprised:
Community Spirit (33.3%)
Fandom/”Original Spice” (33.3%)
Inspirational Story (33.3%)
He learned about the FOTY contest after coming across a social media post outlining the entry window and terms of eligibility. At first, Wilkinson hesitated: “I almost didn’t do it,” he told me. “I sit up in the cheap seats and, you know, I’m just a dude.” However, his wife Christie recognized his level of fandom and gave him the needed nudge to put his name in the proverbial hat.
Nov. 3, 2025; Carolina Panthers Fan of the Year, Lawrence Wilkinson, at Bank of America Stadium with family, supporters. Image Courtesy: Carolina Panthers.
After submitting his entry, Wilkinson received a generic online confirmation and soon forgot about the contest, assuming he hadn’t been selected. It wasn’t until about a month later that he answered a phone call from the Panthers’ organization inviting him for a stadium tour, marking a turning point in his journey.
Despite the three-hour Monday drive, Wilkinson conferred with his wife and decided to go. He explained, “It would be worth driving the three hours just to bring our boys to the stadium and maybe give them one of those cool, core memory things, to kind of give them some fandom.” The Panthers weren’t giving Wilkinson a stadium tour, however. They surprised him that day by recognizing him as Fan of the Year.
Wilkinson was then in attendance as the organization’s guest for the Panthers’ big home victory against the Los Angeles Rams in Week 13. Before the game, he met owner David Tepper on the field.
Wilkinson and his wife are proud parents of three sons. Bruce (middle name Wayne) is nine years old. Second-child Talon is seven. The youngest, Jett, is two months old. Family is a significant factor and focus for Wilkinson, and this focus shone through in his essay submitted as part of the entry process.
Wilkinson and his father own a company that trains military and law enforcement in tactical tracking. The job entails a sizable amount of travel. When he’s unable to use his two PSL seats for Panthers’ home games, Wilkinson sends out a social media post offering free transfer of those tickets to someone who could. The recipient must be a fan of the Panthers. Priority goes to those who would be taking a child to experience a game.
Honoring His Mother, Wilkinson Strives To ‘Run Hard and Be Nice to People’
Wilkinson married his wife back in March 2014. The date was pushed up to March from October. They hoped to have Wilkinson’s loving mother, Kathy, in attendance. Kathy had received a Stage 4 lung cancer diagnosis in 2013 after feeling discomfort while running.
Kathy wasn’t necessarily a football fan, per se, but she was a big fan of Lawrence Wilkinson. So, when he played football — she watched. When he transitioned into his fandom role for the game, she appreciated and joined in to spend time with her son.
The family took to the ‘Keep Pounding’ mantra. Kathy often affectionately said it as ‘Keep On Pounding’. Their matriarch battled the disease that Sam Mills fought against. Kathy even formed her own mantra: Run Hard and Be Nice to People. They had rubber bracelets made, which they all wore in support and solidarity.
Nov. 3, 2025; Carolina Panthers Fan of the Year, Lawrence Wilkinson, at Bank of America Stadium with his sons for the winning announcement. Image Courtesy: Carolina Panthers
In what felt almost like an act of divine intervention, her cancer went into remission long enough for her to see her son get married to the love of his life. The high didn’t last long enough. Kathy’s cancer aggressively returned and ultimately led to her passing a mere six months later in September. She was 58 years old.
While grieving, Wilkinson’s wife suggested that they go to a Panthers’ game. It was his happy place. A place of strength and community. They got tickets to the December 14, 2014, home game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Wilkinson’s favorite Panthers’ player, Cam Newton, would miss the game as a result of a car accident that occurred just days prior.
However, another Panthers player was hosting a guided-painting activity the Saturday before the game. This was part of an initiative called “53 Strong For Sandra”. That player was running back DeAngelo Williams. The program was launched by The DeAngelo Williams Foundation. It provided free mammograms and follow-up care for 53 women in Charlotte, partnering with Charlotte Radiology and Levine Cancer Institute.
Williams shared in a social media post, “53 is a significant number because that is how old my mother was when she lost her battle to breast cancer.” Williams lost his mother and four aunts to the disease. Wilkinson got the chance to meet Williams at the event.
“DeAngelo [Williams] came by and walked around and talked to everybody for a second, and signed my [foot]ball”, Wilkinson said of the meeting. He continued, “When he was signing the ball, I told him, you know, about my mom and everything. And he like, stopped what he was doing. And just stood there and talked to me for a while.”
Wilkinson recalled the interaction and how impactful the moment was, telling me, “Just, it meant a lot. Knowing that his mom and all the women in his family who dealt with breast cancer — he empathized and related so well.”
Wilkinson gave Williams one of the ‘Run Hard’ bracelets during their conversation. The star running back wore the bracelet the next day during the game and for the remainder of the season. Wilkinson said that Williams reached out after having the bracelet cut off following surgery to repair a bone fracture in his right hand. Williams requested another bracelet to wear when able again.
“For him to actually care,” Wilkinson said, was something that stayed with him. He mailed Williams a box of the rubber wristbands. Wilkinson said Williams continued to wear them.
What Comes Next for the Fan of the Year
From now through 11:59 p.m. ET on February 7, 2026, the fan vote is open. Push each team’s finalist into the winner circle. The previously outlined criteria — community spirit, fandom, and inspirational story — will now count for 30% in each category. The final 10% weighted criteria will be the public’s vote.
All of the FOTY finalists will attend this year’s Super Bowl in San Francisco, California. The NFL will provide travel and four nights of standard hotel accommodation. The grand prize is the opportunity to be crowned as the NFL Fan of the Year live at Super Bowl LX. The winner also receives a trophy.
For Talon specifically, one of the biggest goals he has while this dream ride continues to unfold is meeting Cam Newton. Perhaps that opportunity arises on the red carpet at the NFL Honors Awards. All FOTY winners will be present for this event.
Wilkinson will be ready and plans to give a tip of the well-decorated cap to Newton with his attire. “So we’re [FOTY winners] going to be at the red carpet of this highfalutin event,” Wilkinson paints the picture to finish. “I’ve got a lady in Greensboro [NC] making me a custom hat.” Wilkinson says the hat will have multiple homages to Newton, the Panthers, and other elements that inspire him to Keep On Pounding.