The Super Bowl is only days away and that means the end of the season for the National Football League. Many people did not and could not have picked the two teams who ended up in Super Bowl 50. Lucky enough for the Carolina's, our Carolina Panthers had and are continuing to have a dream season. However, the doubters are still coming saying their schedule made it easier for them to get to this place. Many believed that they were the worst undefeated team and up until they beat the Arizona Cardinals the way they did, they were not considered the favorites. The players are still tuning it out and so is a little 6-year old boy named Braylon Beam.
If anyone follows the Carolina Panthers then they know that this boy is extremely special to them and the organization as a whole. Braylon has cancer and is known to the hospitals as the "dancing boy." However to the Carolina Panthers organization, he is known as a coach. During the end of training camp, Braylon became an honorary coach for the day. He did and said things that a real NFL coach would do. In an interview with Inside the NFL, he said the first thing he wanted to do was get their ring sizes because they were going to win the Super Bowl this year. All of the staffers giggled a little at this request, but Braylon knew that this was a special year for the Panthers. And he was right.
In the Inside the NFL interview many players went on to say how special this little boy was and they were not wrong. Braylon is considered to them a good luck charm not but is also an inspiration. He shows the players and people just like you and me that we are blessed to be healthy and should not take that for granted. This little boy dances through his chemo treatments. Videos of him dancing have gone viral and during his time as an honorary coach, he danced with many of the players on the team. Safety Tre Boston said that Braylon has actually beaten him in a dance battle. This goes to show that even though Braylon does have this awful thing happening to him he can still be an upbeat kid. Head coach Ron Rivera said in the interview that Braylon said things to players that he wish he could've said.
The whole Inside the NFL piece can be seen here.
Braylon is on the sidelines at most of the Carolina Panthers home games. One game in particular he got to hit the special "Keep Pounding" drum. Again, if you know anything about the Panthers organization hitting this drum is a tremendous honor. The drum signifies not only that people are overcoming something amazing but they are an inspiration to the organization. The "Keep Pounding" mantra came on when linebacker Sam Mills was diagnosed with cancer. He is no longer with us but his words still are to this day. His statue is also outside of Bank of America stadium. Many players have expressed that these words are not only words on the inside of their jersey. They are a way of life for them. These words are now a way of life for Braylon.
The players love seeing Braylon at games. Even if he is not in attendance they are still trying to support him. Fullback Mike Tolbert has donned a Braylon t-shirt at warm-ups before a game showing his support to the Beam family. Rookie Wide Receiver Devin Funchess put up the picture below of the two of them on his Instagram account wishing Braylan well.
Star quarterback Cam Newton shared a video of Braylon coaching Cam on his Instagram account with the caption "BecoachableBOOG1E! -1OVE. This goes to show the culture that the Panthers players preach about so often. They are playing not only for the players on the field but the coaches and honorary coaches on the sidelines.
This season has been one for the books for the players. 10 being selected for the Pro Bowl (all slots which had to be filled because of the Super Bowl), 8 named to the All-Pro team, and the accolades are still coming in. Soon to be MVP of the League quarterback Cam Newton and coach of the year Ron Rivera are still only focused on the super bowl and not the awards. All the players are playing for each other and are playing for their honorary coach Braylon.
Braylon has been the Carolina Panthers good luck charm this year as they are on the mission to becoming Super Bowl champions. No one but Braylon saw this being "the" year for the Carolina Panthers. General manager Dave Gettlemen said in an interview that not even himself could have foreseen this season for the team. Yes everyone knew they had a special group of guys but this was not even close to the way they thought things would go. Although the team fell just a game short of having a perfect season they still have a chance to become champions in Super Bowl 50.
Panthers, go win those rings, not only for yourselves but for the fans and most importantly for Braylon who believed in you from the beginning. Braylon, keep pounding and thank you for being an inspiration to all of us.
