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49ers HC Kyle Shanahan sings Tetairoa McMillan's praise, makes bold prediction on Panthers rookie's future

Brian Jones Profile Picby: Brian Jones11/20/25brianjones_93
Kyle Shanahan Tetairoa McMillan
Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images//Brett Davis-Imagn Images

San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan believes that Carolina Panthers wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan will be one of the best in the NFL very soon. On Thursday, Shanahan shared his thoughts on McMillan, as the 49ers will take on the Panthers this weekend.

“I think he’s a stud. He’s going to be one of the best receivers in this league sooner than later,” Kyle Shanahan said, per Adam Schefter of ESPN. “He’s got all the skill sets to do it, and I think he’s just getting started.”

Shanahan was asked if Tetairoa McMillan caught his eye in the draft, and he said, “Yes, big time.” The 49ers coach said this a few days after the rookie wide receiver caught eight passes for 130 yards and two touchdowns in the Panthers’ 30-27 overtime victory over the Atlanta Falcons.

McMillan is making a strong case to win Offensive Rookie of the Year. Through 11 games this season, the former Arizona Wildcats star has caught 54 passes for 748 yards and four touchdowns.

Tetairoa McMillan wants to win Rookie of the Year

Shortly before the Panthers selected McMillan in this year’s draft, On3 asked the 22-year-old what his goals were for the 2025 season. “On the field, I want to win the Rookie of the Year, just speaking for my rookie season, Pro Bowl, but off the field, ultimately just building a relationship with everybody in the facility,” McMillan told On3 and a group of reporters during a press conference in Green Bay, Wisconsin.

“At the end of the day, there’s 11 people on the field. I can’t do this on my own, so building a relationship with my quarterback, who ultimately is going to be the guy that passes me the ball or doesn’t pass me the ball. And as well as the receiver coaches, the receiver room, and just everybody that plays on the offensive side of the ball, specifically for sure.”

McMillan spent three seasons at Arizona and became one of the top receivers in college football. In 2024, the Southern California native was named a consensus All-American after catching 84 passes for 1,319 yards and eight touchdowns.