Xavier Legette #17 of the Carolina Panthers warms up prior to the game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Bank of America Stadium on December 01, 2024. Photo:
Matt Kelley/Gett
After Panthers star Xavier Legette made headlines for revealing his favorite dish — raccoon — the wide receiver let others taste the uncommon meal.
When reporters asked Legette, 23, about his culinary preferences during a media availability on Thursday, Dec. 26, it didn’t take long for the Panthers star to pull out some prepared raccoon from his cubby in the team’s locker room.
Legette said that he had eaten raccoon on Christmas Day … and that he had brought some leftovers with him to the facility that day.
From his cubby, the wide receiver pulled out a container of raccoon meat.
He then admitted to reporters that certain vegetables are “too exotic” for his preference. “I don’t eat the bell peppers and all that stuff,” Legette said, adding onions to his list of “exotic” foods.
But “[raccoon], that’s regular to me,” he said.
Legette’s palate preferences were first revealed when he joined New Orleans Saints wide receiver Equanimeous St. Brown and his brother, Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown, on the Dec. 11 episode of the St. Brown Brothers Podcast.
During the conversation, Equanimeous, 28, asked Legette what his “hottest food take” or “something weird he likes to eat.”
Legette said he eats raccoon — “like the raccoon you see in the trash can.”
A confused Equanimeous needed more clarification, and Legette explained he hunts raccoons.
“I hunt it, I kill it, I skin it, cook ‘em, eat ‘em. All of that,” he said.
Xavier Legette #17 of the Carolina Panthers warms up prior to a game against the Cincinnati Bengals at Bank of America Stadium on September 29, 2024.
Kara Durrette/Getty
When asked what it tastes like, Legette said, “It’s got its own touch. You know everybody says it still tastes like chicken, but raccoon got its own touch though.”
He also said during the podcast interview that he eats squirrels and rabbits and invited the hosts to come to his hometown to try them.
“Y’all gonna come to my city and try all this stuff,” he said. “I’m telling y’all, you’re going to like it.”
