Former Panthers Player Arrested Just 24 Hours After Being Waived for Assaulting a Carolina Fan

Just within less than a day after being "waived" by the Carolina Panthers a polite way of saying fired a young defensive player who was once highly anticipated has gotten into major legal trouble. The team announced this decision on Tuesday to make room on the roster for safety Tre’von Moehrig, who is returning after a one game suspension. The information was officially shared via the Panthers' X account with a concise status: "Panthers waive cornerback, after Tre’von Moehrig’s return". This was an unexpected move, leaving many team fans surprised and regretful for a talent who was once selected in the seventh round of the NFL Draft.

This player, only 22 years old, once signed a four year rookie contract worth $4.1 million, but his career quickly went downhill. He was removed from the official roster at the end of training camp, then wandered between the practice squad and future contracts. In the 2025 season, he only played a mere one game for the Panthers without recording any notable statistics. And now, just 24 hours after being pushed out, he has been arrested by the police for a serious incident involving violence.

The name of this player is Kalen King the former cornerback who was selected by the Green Bay Packers from Penn State in the 2024 NFL Draft. According to reports from local police, King was arrested on Wednesday evening, just one day after the waiver announcement. He is accused of public intoxication and assaulting a young woman a passionate fan of the Panthers team. The incident occurred at a bar in Charlotte, where King is said to have drunk excessively after the shock of losing his job. The woman, about 25 years old, recounted that she was just joking by teasing him about his poor performance on the field, but King got angry and slapped her hard in the face, causing minor injuries.

King, in his initial statement, justified his actions by saying he was "teased excessively" and was in a stressed state after being waived. However, the police stated that there are witnesses and security cameras that recorded the entire incident, making his case even worse. Currently, King is being held in custody and may face misdemeanor assault charges, along with fines or even impacts on his chances of returning to the NFL.

This incident not only shatters the image of a young player but also leaves Panthers fans even more disappointed. From a promising rookie to a troublemaker in the blink of an eye King's story is becoming a costly lesson about the fragility of a sports career. The Panthers have not commented further on the matter, but clearly, the decision to waive him seems justified. What do you think about this "plot twist"? Leave a comment below!