Carolina Panthers wide receiver Xavier Legette has become one of the most-liked players in the league within just a year. The rookie had flashes of being a good receiver for the Panthers and quarterback Bryce Young, hauling in 49 receptions for 497 yards and four touchdowns in his rookie season. Aside from being a good teammate and player, there’s something about Legette that has helped him capture the hearts of fans.
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Legette, a Mullins, South Carolina native, has a deep southern accent, a charismatic personality, and a big love for horses. This has made him a fan favorite over the last year. He even got a big task in the horse racing world as he was the NFL’s social media correspondent for the 2025 Kentucky Derby.
Appearing on the Kay Adams Show, Legette spoke with the host about his love for horses. The video opened up with a video compilation of Legette riding horses and having a blast with horses. He was then asked how many horses he has and his ultimate goal for them.
“We’ve got about 14 now. I can name about 8 of them…I see it as kind of like a big investment,” Legette said. “One day I want to get into the derby.”
Held annually on the first Saturday of May, the Kentucky Derby is the most popular horse race. It draws many celebrities to each event. Some notable NFL players tied to the Kentucky Derby include: Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers, Travis Kelce, Davante Adams, Emmitt Smith, Will Levis, and more.
The rain couldn’t stop the Kentucky Derby’s parade as it produced a thrilling race on Saturday at Churchill Downs. While Journalism closed as the favorite, it was Sovereignty that took home the first-place prize with a purse of $3.1 million.
Journalism took second place, taking home a $1 million purse. Baeza placed third, winning half a million dollars, while fourth place (Gambit) and fifth place (Owen Almighty) each took less than half a million dollars.
Legette served as the NFL’s social media correspondent this year with the goal of participating in the derby one day. Along with dominating the gridiron, he could soon be dominating the race tracks with his horses too, making him an even bigger darling in the South.
