The NFL Panthers yesterday signed 6-year-old Braylon Beam to a "one-day coaching contract with the team, putting him on the field as honorary associate head coach" for the Panthers' Aug. 7 Fan Fest, according to Rachel Rollar of Charlotte-based WCNC-NBC. Panthers President Danny Morrison said of Beam, who has brain cancer, "He's shown great courage, he's been an inspiration to others, he sets a great example." He added that the Panthers players "love being able to be a part of things like this and that they probably get more out of it than the kids." The Panthers worked with the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Central & Western North Carolina (WCNC.com, 6/9). ESPN.com's David Newton noted Beam has "drawn national attention for his #JustKeepDancing campaign that began as a way to battle chemotherapy treatments" for his brain tumor. Beam appeared last month on "The Ellen DeGeneres Show," where he told DeGeneres that his "goal was to one day coach the Panthers." Panthers coach Ron Rivera and GM Dave Gettleman "couldn't attend" yesterday's signing because of practice, but "both sent a video message that was played in front of the raucous crowd" at Beam's school in Denver, N.C. (ESPN.com, 6/9).
