This past weekend marked the first Sunday of the 2021 NFL season, and while it was full of exciting highlights, one may have towered over them all: the Carolina Panthers’ viral video of a giant virtual panther leaping around Bank of America Stadium.
The video is ridiculous. A big virtual cat jumps into the stadium, paces around the field, shreds a New York Jets flag (the Panthers’ Sunday opponents), and hops away with a menacing roar. It’s proved to be hugely popular, with 5.6 million views on Twitter.
Check out our new mixed-reality panther that debuted today pic.twitter.com/8DwEvam9KM
— Carolina Panthers (@Panthers) September 12, 2021
While the Panthers’ tweet calls the mascot a “mixed-reality panther,” it actually seems…