Q. You started your presser by telling us that you'd rather go by "Nalo" or "TMac," a lot of other people tall you TET. Why you do you specifically not want to be referred to as Tet?
TETAIROA MCMILLAN: Shoot, so my mom can be the one to tell you.
SHAWNY DUTRO: Because I named him Tetairoa. So it's either Tetairoa, TMac, or -- I call him Cabella, which is a Samoan name. Or Nalo is fine. We're originally from Waimanalo.
Q. Just how has the past 20 hours or so been?
TETAIROA MCMILLAN: Yeah, man, it's been surreal. Just getting that phone call, walking up on stage, putting that hat on, to, you know, flying in this morning to Charlotte, it just feels surreal and I'm super grateful, super blessed just to be in the position I am in, and I'm so thankful.
Q. Were there any players down there to welcome you when you came in today?
TETAIROA MCMILLAN: Yeah, I Bryce.
Q. How did that go?
TETAIROA MCMILLAN: It was just like catching up. Just happy for each other. You know, finally get to be teammates and looking forward to what the future holds.
Q. Obviously this team has taken you in the Top-10 and view you as a weapon for this offense. Curious in your talks with the coaching staff and front office, how did they explain to you what your role is going to be what you think the offense will look like with you?
TETAIROA MCMILLAN: Like you said, they took me in the Top-10 so obviously they see potential in me. They see that I can be a guy to help them turn it around and you know what, whatever it takes for this team to be successful, I'm willing to do whatever.
So whether it's playing inside, outside, whether it's taking a year off and learning from the vets or whatever that may be, I'm all in.
Q. What was it like this morning getting here and having the welcome?
TETAIROA MCMILLAN: Oh, yeah, it was super fire. I was here, I want to say, roughly two weeks ago. So just being able to just reconnect with everybody, meet some new faces. You know, at the end of the day, this is going to be home. So I've got to get acquainted with everybody.
Q. How did it feel to be hitting that drum for the first time?
TETAIROA MCMILLAN: You know, I didn't know how hard I was supposed to hit the drum. I probably hit it a little too soft. But you know it was good just hearing the fans, just getting them going, just interacting with them and keep pounding.
Q. Something that's brought up a lot with your route running is how smooth you are as an athlete. Where do you think that comes from? Perhaps another sport or just naturally from how you've grown in the position?
TETAIROA MCMILLAN: Yeah, I think a lot of it has to do with, you know, playing multiple sports growing up. Whether it's baseball, volleyball, basketball, just doing different movements, angling my body at different angles, body control as well as the coaches I had growing up. I've been playing to play at such a high level each level, so all the coaching has been elite and it's a huge testament of the player I am today for sure.
Q. What positions did you play in the other sports?
TETAIROA MCMILLAN: Which one specifically?
Q. Baseball.
TETAIROA MCMILLAN: I played third base and shortstop.
Q. What would you say you bring to the table, and what would you say to the people that question your speed on the field?
TETAIROA MCMILLAN: Shoot, I feel like I bring just good energy to the locker room. I feel like I'm a guy that can add to the culture that they have laid over here, and ultimately be the guy that, you know, other people play for and a guy that will play for them.
But as far as the speed goes, you know, playing in the game is a lot different. But I could tell you, I'm not -- I'm not slow.
Q. What athletes and other players have you styled your game after, and why?
TETAIROA MCMILLAN: Shoot, there's nobody in particular that, you know, I style my game after. Obviously my favorite player growing up was Larry Fitzgerald but I wouldn't say I try to copycat him. I just kind of wanted to be my own player, be my own person, and you know, try to be as great as I possibly can be.
Q. There was a video that came out from a Podcast a while ago where you said that you didn't watch film. Did you want to clarify those remarks?
TETAIROA MCMILLAN: I mean, yeah, that was from my freshman year of high school. I definitely have grown, have definitely matured since that. You know, I feel like I wouldn't be here in front of y'all today without loving this game, without watching film.
So yeah, that was just young and dumb freshman me. I definitely matured from that for sure.
Q. High school or college?
TETAIROA MCMILLAN: College, yeah.
Q. Did you, as you went on your 30s, did you have a bunch of teams asking you about that, including the Panthers?
TETAIROA MCMILLAN: As far as that question goes? Oh, yeah. It was a hot topic for sure.
Q. How did you respond?
TETAIROA MCMILLAN: The same way I just responded to y'all. (Laughter).
Q. At the Combine when we talked to you, some people were sleeping on your versatility. What do you say to them now, and what do you think about playing on the outside opposite Xavier or --
TETAIROA MCMILLAN: At the time I said it, I was just trying to get my point across.
But I finally found home, and it's here in Charlotte. I'm looking forward to just being in that receiver room playing alongside whoever that may be. Catching a ball from Bryce. Having one-on-one ballots and practice with Jaycee horn. Man, I'm just so excited to be here, man, like I said earlier, this is home, man, and I'm looking forward to it.
Q. Did you get a chance to talk to X or Adam?
TETAIROA MCMILLAN: No. I met them on my 30 visit but no, as far as today, I haven't seen them yet.
Q. Do you owe Bryce Young a finder's fee for talking you up to the Panthers brass to draft you?
TETAIROA MCMILLAN: I'll take him out to dinner (Laughter).
Q. How critical is that relationship for you? Because you talked about it a little bit last night, and when it sinks in, this feels like the two of you are bonded even though you're a couple years apart in age.
TETAIROA MCMILLAN: Yeah, we are both from Cali. Got a chance to play against each other in high school and just been seeing each other's growth as far as men and football players.
You know, as a receiver, it's a compliment to have a quarterback that trust in you already. And you know, at the end of the day, I still got to come in here and earn his respect, earn his trust. But you know, he believes in me, and that's all I need in my quarterback.
Q. You're the sixth Hawaii-born player to get drafted in the found of the NFL Draft. Did you know that?
TETAIROA MCMILLAN: I didn't. I appreciate that
Q. As you're absorbing that, what does that mean to you?
TETAIROA MCMILLAN: Yeah, that's fire. Obviously I'm here today because of the Polynesian players that came before me. At the end of the day, they laid the foundation and set the precedence for me to be where I am today for me to be successful in this game.
So you know, at the end of the day, I'm a reflection of all the people that came before me.
So I mean, yeah, it's a proud honor. I said on the stage, I'm just trying to make the Polynesian people proud and I'm happy that I can be a reflection of our culture.
Q. Coming here to play for a head coach that is a former college receiver and wide receiver coach himself, have you talked to him about his excitement to add you to the offense?
TETAIROA MCMILLAN: Yeah, I love him. When I first met him at the Combine to 30 visits to today, shout-out to him, he gave me this lei. But he's also another Cali kid from Carson. We joke about bleeding blue and we definitely bleeding blue now. I'm super excited to play for him and he's a great dude. I know he'll be a great coach, and just ultimately be just a good role model, good father figure for me.
Q. What would it mean to get that from him today, that lei?
TETAIROA MCMILLAN: Oh, yeah, we exchanged leis. I had a lei for him, too. He also did it for me. We already got a little chemistry going on, I guess.
Q. Why did you wear the No. 4 at Arizona and do you plan on wearing it here, and if so what does 4 mean to you?
TETAIROA MCMILLAN: Honestly I wore 4 in high school just because my number got taken. I was like, that's the next best option.
And as far as you know, wearing the number here, you know, I don't know. We'll see what happens.
Q. What was the number before 4 that you wanted?
TETAIROA MCMILLAN: 11.
Q. What separates you from any other receiver on this team?
TETAIROA MCMILLAN: I'm not going to answer.
Q. What did you know about Charlotte before you got here?
TETAIROA MCMILLAN: You know, I actually -- I learned that they don't call it downtown. They call it "Uptown," so that's the one thing I learned for sure. I'm going to go with that one. I feel like I got some brownie points for saying that.
Q. Was that something you found out on the ride here?
TETAIROA MCMILLAN: A little birdie.
Q. Could you maybe expand on what you've told us last night about those workouts with Bryce or the throwing sessions? Did he invite you to meet him there? How did that kind of happen? I know it's a place where a lot of guys train. Could you take us through how that got set up and what that was like?
TETAIROA MCMILLAN: Shoot, to be honest with you, yeah, I thought Bryce -- trains the at 3DQB. There's a good little quarterback thing going on over there, and obviously my college coach quarterback, Noah, he trains over there. We just so happened to be in Cali at the same time, and I pulled up to get some work in with T.J. and just catch the ball and you know, Bryce is there. I'm like, Man, let's get it on.
Q. Did you end up doing it for several days that week or a couple weeks or how many sessions?
TETAIROA MCMILLAN: You know, unfortunately it was only one day. But now, we got a lot of days coming up.
Q. What do the next few days look like for you as you prepare?
TETAIROA MCMILLAN: Shoot, well, I'm going to go home to La Jolla and just spend time with my family and embrace it all in. After this weekend, you know, we got to get to work. You know, I know rookie mini-camp is in two weeks from yesterday. But you know, the grind starts now. You know, it's only the beginning and shoot, I'm ready to get after it.
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