Josh Norman was running his Atlanta coffee shop when Steve Wilks called the cornerback about signing with the Carolina Panthers on Sunday night.
Norman, 35, has been working on getting Omni Coffee & Eggs off the ground this year. Wilks called Norman, who he helped develop from a fifth-round pick in 2011 into a first-team All-Pro in 2015, when the Panthers lost Jaycee Horn to a broken wrist in Week 16.
Carolina will play the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday with first place in the NFC South on the line.
Norman was signed to the practice squad Monday with the plan to elevate him to the 53-man roster.
“It truly was about charity and giving back to these kids and helping him out as much as we could,” Norman said. “What I love about Wilks is he has that same mindset to want to give back.
“It’s just truly an honor for us to be here.”
