CHARLOTTE - The Carolina Panthers won't be playing football this weekend, but many of them will be watching football – in many different forms.
Quarterback Cam Newton and tight end Greg Olsen will head in opposite directions to watch their younger brothers play high school football - Newton in Georgia, Olsen in New Jersey.
Wide receiver Armanti Edwards will travel to Greenville, S.C., an hour from his native Greenwood, S.C., to watch his former college team – Appalachian State – take on Furman.
Cornerback Captain Munnerlyn will settle down in front of the television to watch his alma mater, South Carolina, in a key game against Arkansas.
Then there's wide receiver Steve Smith, who plans to watch a different form of football – among other things.
"My youngest, Boston, he has a soccer game, so I'll see him play, Then Peyton has a soccer game," Smith said. "So Saturday, I'll go watch Boston, then drive up north to the Renaissance Festival and hang out there with the kids. Then I'll go to church Sunday and to my kid's soccer game later in the afternoon."
In addition recording the Tennessee Titans' game for scouting purposes, Smith added: "I'm going to make some pancakes, give my wife a break from cooking a little bit. And maybe rub her feet."
Newton also provided some pretty specific (and pretty entertaining) details about his plans.
"I'm looking forward to going home, spending some time with my family, watching my little brother play football. It's going to be fun," Newton said. "There's a couple of things I want to do to be a regular person: Go to the grocery store, go to the movies, go out to eat, wake up whenever I want to, watch some cartoons, eat some cereal. Tom & Jerry and some Lucky Charms with extra marshmallows."
Rookie right tackle Byron Bell plans to go home as well and visit his high school. Rather than watching football, however, folks will be watching him.
"I'm going to speak to my high school," Bell said. "I've heard that my whole city is waiting for me to come – good old Greenville (Texas).
"I'm going to go see my family for about two or three days, and then I'm coming right back to Charlotte. I'm going to get with (offensive line assistant) Coach (Ray) Brown and go over some things from the first half of the season and get some things corrected so I can improve going into the Tennessee game."
While several members of the team have travel plans or outings involving football, running back DeAngelo Williams might just have the right idea.
"I'm going to do absolutely nothing and have fun doing it," Williams said.
