MUNICH, Germany — The Carolina Panthers arrived in Munich, Germany on Friday and wasted little time putting the Panther paw print in various establishments.
Former players Steve Smith, Luke Kuechly, Julius Peppers, Thomas Davis and Jon Beason as well as owners Dave and Nicole Tepper and team president Kristi Coleman have made several appearances in Munich. The group tapped a keg at a local pub and led patrons in a "Keep Pounding" cheer. It's unclear who German fans as a whole consider their favorite NFL team but apparently, a large amount of Panther gear is being worn by Munich citizens, a good sign that Germany's third largest city could adopt the Panthers as their favorite NFL team.
The Carolina contingent also had other stops as they are making the overseas about more than football
The Panthers hosted a flag football clinic for 120 local youth, along with teaming up with the Giants for a food distribution event which saw volunteers help distribute three truckloads of food to more than 900 people.
Sunday's game against the Giants at Allianz Arena marks just the second international game in the history of the Panther franchise. The previous game played by the Panthers beyond the United States borders was in 2019 when they faced Tampa Bay in London.
Kickoff is set for 9:30 p.m. and will be a matchup of teams with 2-7 records. The Panthers are coming off a 23-22 win at home over the Saints.