Panthers' Coleman takes the heat in wing challenge

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Kurt Coleman of the Carolina Panthers took the heat at the East Coast Wings & Grill Insanity Wing Roulette Challenge.
 
"I'm up for the challenge," Coleman said.

Before Coleman and the team head to Super Bowl 50, the restaurant challenged him to sample their chicken wings from the top five heat indexes.

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Coleman didn't seem to have a problem with the first wing.

"Is this it? It's good," Coleman said.

By the time he ate the third wing, things changed.
 
"The tears are coming right now, it's a little hot," he said.
 
After the challenge, he talked to Channel 9 about the outpouring of support from the fans.
 
"It's amazing and it's a lot of fun to see the city rally behind us," Coleman said.
 
But Coleman said it's now time for the Panthers to head to California and get to work.
 
"It's a business trip," Coleman said. "We're not going to go out there to go surfing, hang out on the beach, it's a business trip."
 
Coleman also talked about his charity New Perspectives.

New Perspectives was created in 2006 after an incident involving Coleman's former teammate Tyson Gentry.
 
During practice, Coleman tackled Gentry, leaving him paralyzed.
 
Gentry is now confined to a wheelchair, but has some mobility.
 
He and Coleman created New Perspectives to inspire other athletes to turn tragedy into triumph.
 
"He knows what he went through and now he's trying to make a difference in other people's lives affected by the same spinal cord injury," Coleman said.
 
Coleman is in talks with The Cowfish in SouthPark about developing a Panther-themed milkshake that will benefit the charity.
 
His favorite flavor is vanilla.

Panthers slideshows:

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• IMAGES: Panthers fans line up to greet players at practice Thursday

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