{"id":253411,"date":"2025-08-01T13:42:14","date_gmt":"2025-08-01T13:42:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/253411\/"},"modified":"2025-08-01T13:42:14","modified_gmt":"2025-08-01T13:42:14","slug":"nfl-rookie-with-six-fingers-signs-for-carolina-panthers-to-complete-against-all-odds-journey-to-the-league","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/253411\/","title":{"rendered":"NFL rookie with six fingers signs for Carolina Panthers to complete against-all-odds journey to the league"},"content":{"rendered":"

By ERIC BLUM<\/a> <\/p>\n

Published: 09:01 EDT, 1 August 2025 | Updated: 09:14 EDT, 1 August 2025 <\/p>\n

NFL rookie JJ Weaver has signed for the Carolina Panthers<\/a>, with the linebacker best known prior to his professional football arrival for having six fingers on his right hand.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Weaver, who was born with\u00a0polydactyly, a birth defect where a baby is ‘born with extra fingers on their hand or extra toes on their foot,’ per the Cleveland Clinic.<\/a>\u00a0<\/p>\n

About one in every thousand babies are born with polydactyly, with treatments differing based on where the extra digit is located.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Weaver has six fully functioning fingers, with his gloves from his days at Kentucky<\/a> made specially for his unique limb.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

Weaver was a star under Mark Stoops’ Wildcats team in the stiff competition of the Southeastern Conference for six years.<\/p>\n

The 6-foot-5, 250-pound linebacker had an extra-long stay in Lexington with a redshirt year in 2019 and being granted an additional year of eligibility due to the coronavirus<\/a> pandemic.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"Rookie <\/p>\n

Rookie JJ Weaver, who was born with six fingers on his right hand, has signed for the Panthers<\/p>\n

\"Weaver <\/p>\n

Weaver played for six seasons at Kentucky before getting his NFL opportunity in Carolina<\/p>\n

After going undrafted, Weaver originally was signed by the Los Angeles Chargers, but was waived earlier this year.\u00a0<\/p>\n

His next chance at the NFL comes across the country in a more favorable situation, as the Panthers are an up-and-coming team looking to contend in the NFC South.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Weaver now has an uphill battle to make the Panthers’ 53-man roster, as he has around a month until the harsh cut, with less time around his teammates and Carolina’s coaches than most.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Yet, him impressing without making that cut could lead to future opportunities with other teams, including as a valued member of the practice squad.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

Weaver is one of three Kentucky players all time to be a captain in three separate seasons. Those leadership skills may translate to NFL success despite being born with six fingers on his right hand.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The NFL does not have a rule on polydactyly, stating whether it gives Weaver a competitive advantage, or disadvantage, as did the NCAA.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Now, it is just a matter of time to see whether the six-finger man can stick with the Panthers.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Carolina Panthers<\/a>Kentucky<\/a><\/p>\n

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