Tetairoa McMillan on Madden livestream

He has some major explaining to do.

Tetairoa McMillan might be in some serious trouble with his team and with his teammates

The Carolina Panthers wide receiver was on a livestream this week on Madden when he uttered something that he shouldn’t be saying. While playing with his own team, he would intercept a pass in the game and immediately get to his feet to celebrate.

What came out of his mouth had the two people next to him in shock. Tetairoa McMillan yelled out the N-word several times. The woman seated next to him put a card over her mouth in shock. She and the other guy looked thoroughly confused about what to do next after that moment.

McMillan, who has a voice that doesn’t match his face, eventually came back to sit down and state that they were going to win the game. For those wondering, he is not African-American, but rather Native Hawaiian and of Polynesian descent.

Is Tetairoa McMillan In Trouble?

Oct 12, 2025; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Panthers wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan (Mandatory Credit: Cory Knowlton-Imagn Images)

As we all know, certain people utter the N-word without issue despite not being Black. They have been welcomed in spaces where they are able to do so. However, not everybody is too keen on them saying it in their presence.

McMillan clearly plays on a team where he says it so much that he feels fine saying it anywhere. Will he be punished for this? That is unlikely to happen.

The only people he will need to answer to are the ones on the Panthers. He is unlikely to face a stiff penalty as a result of his actions. The 6-foot-4 and 219-pound wideout was the eighth pick of last April’s draft.

McMillan had a terrific rookie season. He led all rookies this season in receiving yards (1,014), receiving yards per game (59.6), and touchdown receptions (seven). Tetairoa McMillan also broke the Panthers franchise record for most receiving yards by a rookie.

“I knew he was going to be special,” New England Patriots star cornerback Christian Gonzalez said about McMillan at the Super Bowl.

He is in line to possibly win offensive rookie of the year.