CHARLOTTE — Robert Hunt embodies a good guy. He's gregarious, outgoing, willing to joke with anyone, and even more willing to flatten someone into the ground and make them regret ever lining up opposite him. The latter is necessary as an offensive guard and, therefore, part of his good guy status instead of working against him.

On Thursday, it was announced that Hunt had been honored in two ways: he was named the 2024 PFWA Tom Berry Good Guy Award winner and a second alternate to the Pro Bowl at his position.

The first was celebrated with a colorful and comedic speech ending with the $100 million man holding the trophy on top of his head à la a kid at a birthday party with their new favorite toy, asking reporters to take his picture.

"Now I can put this in my new crib, throw it on the shelf. Show my baby boy," smiled Hunt.

The award is voted on by the Carolina chapter of the Pro Football Writers Association and annually honors the Panthers player who was most helpful to the media.

Hunt joins DJ Chark and Teddy Bridgewater as the only players to win the award in their first season with the Panthers. The Good Guy Award is presented by the Carolinas chapter of the Pro Football Writers of America and named for a longtime columnist and Panthers beat writer for the High Point (N.C.) Enterprise, who died at the start of the 2009 season.

The latter honor—the Pro Bowl quasi-selection—was appreciated but, more than anything, served as motivation to make it further next year. While with the Dolphins last season, Hunt was named a fifth-alternate, so he at least feels like he's moving in the right direction.

"I can't say that was snubbed. I just know I can be better," pondered a thoughtful Hunt.

"I was an alternate last year, so this year, I got closer. I was a closer alternate. Maybe next year, I kick the door down. I'm gonna do all I can in this offseason to try to kick the door down."

Hunt has played 100 percent of offensive snaps this season and allowed only 2.5 sacks, a 6.8 quarterback pressure percentage, and just one holding call.

For the man from rural Louisiana who grew up with little, being in a position to be named to the Pro Bowl in any capacity and the opportunity to speak with the media as a face of a franchise is all a blessing.

"Man, I felt like I done lived three different lives in my life," Hunt said. "I feel like growing up I was extremely poor, extreme poverty like we didn't have—I went through a house with six kids, two parents. We had holes in the floors. There's two rooms, we can't eat. How we gonna eat, you know what I mean?

"And eventually, I just kept living my life day-by-day, moment-by-moment, and God put me where He put me today, and I can never complain. I can never be ungrateful. I'm extremely grateful for everything that I do because I've understood where I was.

"I got a son now. He ain't never got to live like that. So, just grateful, man. I'm grateful and honored to do what I do and be where I am because I've been to where I was. So, it's hard for me to be like, 'Get the (expletive) out of my face. So I don't know, I'm just, I'm grateful, man."

With his son in mind, Robert Hunt also made a decision this week that no other Panthers player has made this season. He'll don a Guardian Cap for Sunday's game against the Falcons. The equipment staff has already fitted the padded shell with a silver liner and Panthers colors to match his teammates. The decision wasn't a result of any health issues or flare-ups. Hunt said he simply woke up one morning this week and decided to give it a try.

"I think it's pretty dope. I think it's very pretty," said Hunt, showing off the helmet in front of his locker on Thursday. "So, I'm gonna put this on this weekend, man, strap it up one last time for the year, see how I feel, and if it feels great, I'm going to go with it next year.

"I literally just woke up like, you know what, I'm about to try this, why not try it?"

The past is for the birds

As has become par for the course with Tracy Smith, his weekly Thursday press conference took a turn off the rails in no time. This week, it was about the migratory patterns of birds in Northern California relative to available sustenance.

In other words, seagulls would circle above the old Raiders Coliseum when fans started spilling their popcorn.

It was somewhat relative to the topic at hand, this time, the duck on the field during the Panther's blocked punt returned for a touchdown last week against the Buccaneers. The duck played no part in the botched play, according to the special teams coordinator. Instead, it was a result of miscommunication and "over-helping," according to Smith.

"Just kind of a miscommunication on the right side," Smith explained. "We got the same look on right and left. The left side did the right thing, the way we had kind of prepared for it; on the right side, missed it, sort of over helping got us caught up in a mess.

"Really unfortunate play for the guys because they're doing really well throughout the game coverage-wise."

But in the words of Phoebe Buffay, that's in the past, and you can't worry about the past, just like the Louisiana Purchase, which is a reference only Friends fans will appreciate. Looking to the future, Smith voiced appreciation for his punter, Johnny Hekker who was named an alternate for the Pro Bowl on Thursday.

"Nice honor for him," said Smith. "Certainly a shout out to his reputation and also this season that he's had along with the guys, helping to protect and cover for him, but had a pretty good year net punt wise, and he has a reputation, so he's a good name to circle on those kind of lists."

According to Next Gen Stats, Hekker has punted 71 times this season thus far, averaging 53.6 yards per punt, with a long of 73.6 yards. He has had three touchbacks and 22 punts placed inside the 20-yard line.

Bernie Parmalee earning stripes the final two weeks

Bernie Parmalee had already become a bit of a cult legend around Charlotte this season, using his trademark zest for life to lead a running back that saw Chuba Hubbard experience a resurgence. Now, with Hubbard on injured reserve for the season's final two weeks, Parmalee is the ringmaster of an epic game of musical chairs.

Hubbard went to IR, joining rookie Jonathon Brooks and Miles Sanders. That left the unit with Raheem Blackshear—who spends most of his snaps a returner—and Mike Boone, who spent most of the season on the practice squad.

Then, this week, the team brought Sanders back to practice. He is eligible to be activated ahead of Sunday's game.

Panthers' offensive coaches have watched, and been impressed, as Parmalee has handled all the moving parts in preparation for the club's final game. His work has also meant Sanders could feasibly be available against the Falcons.

"Miles hit the ground running this week at practice," offensive coordinator Brad Idzik noted Thursday. "He was getting ready to get back into shape the last couple of weeks, but you know, he's just got to shake off the rust, and Bernie does a great job of spending the extra time, whether it's during special teams or pre-practice, making sure that they get back familiar with the terms and get back on the bike.

"But Miles looked really good out there. Boone and Blackshear, they've also, he's going to rep all those guys throughout the week, so they've gotten their experience of carries and all that, and we trust them.

"So I think it's just a good testament to the preparation that Bernie brings those guys in the room that a guy like Miles can come off an injury and then come on the field and still look like he's getting right back on the bike and getting on with the mid-zone world, some of the gap stuff we're asking him to do and then the pass pro too, being locked in with Coach Gilbert's plan and the pass pro."