Marlon Favorite's amazing journey from Panthers' camp to Super Bowl

   FT. LAUDERDALE, Fla. – Less than three weeks ago, defensive tackle Marlon Favorite’s long rookie season in the NFL was over.

   He’d begun the year with the Carolina Panthers, making it through training camp and working with the first team defense at times before getting released.

   Then he worked out for the Falcons and had a brief stint on the Rams’ practice squad. Next came workouts for the Chiefs and Bills and a temporary spot on the Kansas City practice squad. Finally, he landed on Seattle’s practice squad, where he spent the final four weeks of the regular season before returning home to Louisiana, once again as a free agent.

   Then, a startling thing happened.

   His hometown team, the New Orleans Saints, called and signed him Jan. 19 to their practice squad, just five days before playing the Minnesota Vikings in the NFC championship game.

   Now, with the Saints in the Super Bowl to play the Indianapolis Colts, Favorite is along for the ride, wearing jersey No. 63 and partaking in media day interviews by the droves Tuesday.

   “Definitely, there are a lot of people chatting with me,” said Favorite. “Some know my story, some (are) just random. I didn’t imagine it would be like this.

   “This is like basically every major media outlet here. When I walked in here, it was like, `Wow.’ It lets you know how big this event is.”

   It’s a super-big deal for Favorite, who’ll earn a Super Bowl ring if the Saints beat the Colts despite the fact that he’s been on their practice squad barely over two weeks.

   “Praise God, man!” Favorite said with a mega-grin. “It’s just a blessing altogether. I worked hard and I kept that faith the whole season, and look what happens.”

   New Orleans starting defensive end Will Smith said he's happy for Favorite, but joked about Favorite arriving only before the two biggest games of the season.

   "I said he's stealing," Smith said with a smile. "But for him to come on (with) us going to the Super Bowl, I know he has to be excited about that."

   Favorite said, back in the summer, he thought he was going to make the Carolina roster and spend the season with the Panthers. However, once the preseason neared its end, Carolina began making moves to acquire more experienced defensive tackles to fill the void created by Maake Kemoeatu’s injury and Favorite was deemed expendable.

   “Things happen, it’s a business, and I respect that,” said Favorite. “I respect the whole team up there in Carolina.  I really enjoyed my time up there.

   “I really thank Carolina for (keeping him throughout training camp). It really kept me relevant in the league.”

   As a member of the Saints’ practice squad, Favorite can’t play in Sunday’s game against Indianapolis, but he’s working hard to get his teammates ready – and looking forward to the day when he finally makes a regular season roster.

   “I think the future holds big things for Marlon Favorite,” he said. “I just have to continue on the path I’m on right now and strive to get better.”

   NOTES:

   (x) Hall of Fame defensive back Rod Woodson, now an analyst for the NFL Network, told the Observer that it boggles his mind to think of Panthers defensive end Julius Peppers hitting the open market as an unrestricted free agent.

   The Panthers say they haven’t decided whether to apply the franchise tag to Peppers for the second straight year, but Peppers’ agent, Carl Carey, said earlier this week he hasn’t heard from the team and expects them to let his client go free.

   “He made $17 million last year,” Woodson said of Pepper’s approximate pay via the one-year tender that accompanied last year’s franchise tag. “He should be happy. He was making a million dollars a game, for crying out loud. Is he going to make more than (that)?”

   But Woodson said it would be great if Peppers hits the open market and said he believes Peppers could play in almost any defense.

   “He could play in space,” said Woodson. “He could be an outside linebacker. He’s big enough, agile enough, (and) athletic enough to play that position, so it’ll be great to see what system he goes with if he leaves Carolina.

   “Can you imagine him going to the Jets or New England? New England could be a good spot for him.”

   (x) Former Rams all-pro running back Marshall Faulk, also of the NFL Network, had high praise for the Panthers’ backfield tandem of DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart.

   “This year they were probably the best tandem,” Faulk said. “Those two guys did a great job of carrying the load for the team, especially when their quarterback play wasn’t that good.

   “What I like is they work well together. They do a great job of co-existing. One guy never outshines the other. DeAngelo does a great job of including Stewart in everything and not making it a competition as to who’s better, but a competition as to who can do the best in the game.”

   Williams and Stewart became the first backfield tandem in NFL history to rush for 1,100 yards in the same season. Stewart had 1,133 yards and Williams had 1,117 despite missing the final 11 quarters of the season with an ankle injury.

 

   -- Charles Chandler