How a Carolina Panthers legend is elevating a football team he now owns
Charlotte remembers Ryan Kalil as the Carolina Panthers center — the man who snapped the ball to Cam Newton. Today, the retired NFL All-Pro player has traded his helmet and pads for the role of team owner.
Why it matters: American football is huge stateside, but passion for the game is growing in other countries, too.
Catch up quick: Earlier this year, Kalil and retired NBA All-Star Blake Griffin acquired Osos Monterrey, a professional Mexican football team playing in Liga de Fútbol Americano.
Context: Mexico's passion for football (soccer) isn't a secret, but its love affair with football, the type with helmets and pads, isn't as widely known.
Attendance ranges from 6,000-12,000 per game and it's a short season. Tickets range from $25-$50, Kalil says.
They rebranded the team and had roughly three months to figure out the business side, Kalil says.
Yes, but: The highest level of the sport in Mexico isn't a full-time job, Kalil tells Axios. Players are there because they love the game, but they still have day jobs.
The goal is to elevate their team and the league to a point where it can be a full-time gig — including everything from league exposure to fields and equipment.
The latest: That starts with outfitting players with better helmets. The team is working with LIGHT Helmets, which as the name implies, is a lighter helmet intended to keep players safe without impeding performance.
"We need better exposure for [players], more resources for equipment, and honestly, that's part of our partnership with LIGHT Helmets," Kalil says. "It's that first step."
Kalil says this is a sign for the players and the league as a whole that resources are coming.
What we're watching: Kalil and Griffin are working on a documentary (akin to "Welcome to Wrexham") on Osos. Details including the timeline for its release and where you'll be able to stream it are TBD. It's expected to be released in either late 2025 or early 2026.
The documentary will focus on Osos, but it will also look at the state of the league.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Black America Web
36 minutes ago
- Black America Web
Coco Gauff Wins French Open Title & Immediately Quotes Tyler, The Creator, Social Media Applauds
Source: Robert Prange / Getty America is back on top. Coco Gauff has won the French Open singles finals against Aryna Sabalenka. Top-ranked Sabalenka came out firing on all cylinders, beating second-ranked Gauff in the first set, but she came charging back to win, 6-7 (5), 6-2, 6-4. On Court Philippe-Chatrier, Gauff found herself down 1-4 at first and fought back for a tie-breaking point that eventually went to Sabalenka, but by then, she'd already discovered her momentum. Gauff had a big lead in the first set's tiebreaker, but Sabalenka's sheer power won out. She built on that in the second set, as Sabalenka kept falling victim to her own forced errors amid an impossibly windy day. Gauff had an early double break and remained calm, while her opponent's emotional swings affected her play. More momentum shifted in the third set, even down to championship point, which Gauff won off Sabalenka hitting it out of bounds. Gauff also made some history as the underdog in the match. Her losing the first set but winning the match marks only the 10th time that's happened in the women's finals. The last time an American woman won a French Open singles title was Serena Williams in 2015. Now, 21-year-old Gauff is the youngest to take home the Roland-Garros trophy since Williams in 2002. The win is another addition to Gauff's impressive list, which includes nine doubles titles, including the 2024 French Open . On her own, she's won ten career singles titles, and this French Open win becomes her second major win, with her first coming at the 2023 US Open. 'The crowd really helped me today, you guys were cheering for me so hard,' she began her acceptance speech. 'I appreciate you guys, merci beaucoup. I didn't think I could do it, but I'm going to quote Tyler, the Creator.' She continues, paraphrasing Tyler, The Creator's bars from 'St. Chroma': 'If I ever told you I had a doubt inside me, I must be lying.' See how social media is reacting below. Coco Gauff Wins French Open Title & Immediately Quotes Tyler, The Creator, Social Media Applauds was originally published on Black America Web Featured Video CLOSE
Newsweek
an hour ago
- Newsweek
PGA Tour Pro Hits 'Best Shot in my Life' to Win RBC Canadian Open
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Ryan Fox won the 2025 RBC Canadian Open spectacularly, claiming his second PGA Tour title in less than a month. The New Zealander withstood a tremendous charge from Sam Burns during the final round and then defeated him in a hard-fought four-hole playoff. Fox's victory was, of course, the result of many successful shots. However, as is often the case, one shot in particular determined the final outcome. "It's the best shot I've ever hit in my life," Fox summed it up. 'That shot I hit on 18 ... probably the best shot I've ever hit."@RyanFoxGolfer sealed the deal with this shot on the fourth playoff hole @RBCCanadianOpen. — PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) June 8, 2025 This was the second shot of the fourth playoff hole, which was played on the 576-yard, par-5 18th hole at TPC Toronto. Fox left the ball 255 yards from the pin with his tee shot, and from there, he executed a superb wood shot that barely moved after hitting the green, stopping just seven feet from the hole. Fox had a chance to win with his third shot because Burns's ball was 39 feet from the hole. However, the New Zealander missed his seven-foot eagle putt, and the tension rose to a fever pitch as the American got back into contention, leaving his ball nine feet from the hole for a birdie putt on his next shot. But, Burns missed his putt, and Fox birdied the hole, lifting the RBC Canadian Open's trophy. Ryan Fox of New Zealand plays a shot on the ninth hole during the final round of the RBC Canadian Open 2025 at TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley on June 08, 2025 in Caledon, Ontario. Ryan Fox of New Zealand plays a shot on the ninth hole during the final round of the RBC Canadian Open 2025 at TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley on June 08, 2025 in Caledon, wasn't the only opportunity the American missed. On the first hole of the playoff, he missed a five-foot birdie putt that would have won him the tournament. "Sam let me off the hook big time there that first playoff hole," Fox said after his victory. "I'd almost given him that. We had a couple scrappy holes there, and then to hit the shot I hit on 18 on the fourth playoff, it was pretty surreal. It's the best shot I've ever hit in my life. There's nothing close to that." Sam Burns started Sunday in a tie for 16th place, but climbed to the top of the leaderboard by firing a final-round 62. Fox, the 54-hole leader, maintained his position by carding a 66. The New Zealander added his victory at the RBC Canadian Open to his title at the Myrtle Beach Classic last March, which he also won in a playoff. His victory at TPC Toronto paved the way for his seventh US Open appearance next week. More Golf: Lefty Ready for Final US Open amid Catching Fire at LIV Golf Virginia
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Draymond Green Had Two Words After Aryna Sabalenka's Controversial Coco Gauff Message
Draymond Green Had Two Words After Aryna Sabalenka's Controversial Coco Gauff Message originally appeared on Athlon Sports. World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka drew backlash for her rather controversial take on her French Open loss to Coco Gauff, with NBA star Draymond Green even chiming in. Advertisement Gauff beat Sabalenka in the French Open final on Saturday, as the American star battled back from losing the first set to win 6-7(5), 6-2, 6-4. The biggest story of the game, however, was Sabalenka's 70 unforced errors. The uncharacteristic performance definitely played a big role in the Belarusian star's loss, and Sabalenka herself admitted that it's the "worst tennis" she has played. What drew the outrage of many, though, was Sabalenka downplaying Gauff's performance. After the game, she said: "I think she won the match not because she played incredible, just because I made all of those mistakes." Sabalenka even claimed that four-time French Open winner Iga Swiatek would have beaten Gauff had she been the one to make the Roland-Garros final. World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka attends the MLS match between Inter Miami and Toronto FC.© Jim Rassol-Imagn Images As fans called out Aryna Sabalenka for what they believe were disrespectful comments toward Gauff, Golden State Warriors star Draymond Green roasted the top women's tennis player in the world. Advertisement On his Instagram Stories, Green posted a video of Sabalenka sharing her opinion on Gauff and the loss in the French Open final. In the caption, the four-time NBA champion wrote, "COOK COCO." For what it's worth, Sabalenka has since clarified her remarks. On her Instagram Stories, the 28-year-old explained that "Coco handled the conditions much better than I did and fully deserved the win." Sabalenka further stated, "She was the better player yesterday, and I want to give her the credit she earned." While she stood by her claim that she lost because of her mistakes and bad play, she emphasized that Gauff also played well. Advertisement "But both things can be true... I didn't play my best, and Coco stepped up and played with poise and purpose. She earned that title. Respect," Sabalenka shared. Related: Coco Gauff Earns New Nickname After Winning French Open This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 9, 2025, where it first appeared.
