The first time Kenneth Moore watched a football game in Bank of America Stadium, he was a teenager cheering for the Carolina Panthers and dreaming of someday making it to the NFL.
The first time Moore played in the stadium, he was playing his final game at Wake Forest last December in the Meineke Car Care Bowl ... and still dreaming of making it to the NFL.
When the Panthers play the New Orleans Saints this afternoon, Moore will experience another first.
It's his first home game as a member of the Panthers, after he was signed less than two weeks ago.
That's a long way to come from the top rows of the upper deck.
"It's going to be exciting," Moore said. "The first time I was in that stadium, I was at the top of it. And every time I've been in it, I've got lower. I finally got on the field as a college player, and now I'll get on the field as a pro, to be a part of what I always used to look at. So it's going to be great.
"It's going to be something that I'll realize that a lot of hard work got me here, and I want to enjoy the moment and just make it my home."
Moore, a wide receiver who has doubled as a punt returner, was signed from the Detroit Lions' practice squad on Oct. 8, after the Panthers put Ryne Robinson on injured reserve.
Moore was inactive last week for the Panthers' 27-3 loss at Tampa Bay, and is likely to be inactive this week again as the Panthers plan to keep Mark Jones in the role of returner and fourth receiver.
That's fine for now, though.
Moore is still fitting into a new system and is trying more to make a good impression in practice and eventually fit into the long-range plans. He is getting the opportunity to work with and learn from veterans Steve Smith and Muhsin Muhammad, and that can only help him.
"My main thing right now is to show them I can contribute down the line," he said. "It's all still real new to me with a new offense, new team. I have to show them that I can pick up the offense and I can step in there and contribute. You've just got to come in ready to work each day and ready to show the coaches that your focus is 100 percent here."
Focusing certainly isn't a problem. He has not only relished the chance to play for his hometown team, but also to go to a winner. The Panthers share the NFC South lead at 4-2. Detroit remains one of two winless teams in the NFL at 0-5.
"It's very different here," Moore said. "You went from a team where the environment was to try to get everything together to a team that's like, ‘OK, we're going to the Super Bowl.' It's all about winning here. You come from an 0-4 team to a 4-1 record when I got here, and it's just a different feeling. It's good to be part of that and part of a winning team."
Moore was a fifth-round draft pick of the Lions, and played in all four preseason games. He caught two passes for 19 yards, averaged 11.7 yards on three punt returns, and 29.5 yards on two kickoff returns. He was waived in the final preseason cuts, and then signed on with the practice squad two days later.
"I did well up there," he said. "Every opportunity, I took advantage of it. I had some good punt returns, some good kickoff returns, but I didn't get too many opportunities. They only kept four receivers, so they cut another four or five that were doing well, too, and I was the odd man out.
"But I was fortunate enough to be on the practice squad and keep honing my skills. The wide-receiver coach there taught me a lot. He really helped me with my route running. So I think I definitely improved my skills there, and God put me there for a reason."
Now he's back home, and enjoying it far more.
"I had no hint at all that this was going to happen," Moore said. "But things opened up and they needed a wide receiver, and it worked out. It's exciting, to play for a team you grew up watching, players you loved to watch like Steve and Moose. It's definitely a dream. Now I've got to make it a reality and show that I'm meant to be here."
■ John Delong can be reached at jdelong@wsjournal.com.
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