Charlotte native and former NFL player with Panthers ties to compete on ‘American Idol’

A Charlotte native and former NFL player with connections to the Carolina Panthers plans to take his talents from the turf to the stage in the upcoming season premiere of “American Idol.”

Blake Proehl, a former Providence High School standout, played wide receiver at East Carolina University before signing with the Minnesota Vikings as an undrafted free agent after the 2021 NFL Draft, Sports Illustrated reported.

Proehl missed his entire rookie season after suffering a torn ACL in training camp, but returned to the field in 2022, where he spent the season on the practice squad. The Vikings waived him in 2023.

His father, Ricky Proehl, played 17 years in the NFL, including three for the Carolina Panthers as a wide receiver, according to the team’s website. His brother, Austin Proehl, was drafted in the seventh round of the 2018 NFL Draft by the Buffalo Bills, according to NFL.com. He now plays for the St. Louis Battlehawks in the XFL.

Blake Proehl, right, a Charlotte native and former player for the NFL with family ties to the Carolina Panthers, auditions for Season 22 of “American Idol” on ABC. Proehl brought his grandmother to the audition.

“I grew up in a football family,” Proehl said in a preview of the show’s premiere posted to YouTube. “But I got a really bad injury. Doctors said ‘it’ll be a success story if you’re able to run again.’”

Proehl has amassed nearly 600,000 followers on TikTok, where he posts videos of himself singing covers of emotional pop songs like “Wish You The Best” and “Someone You Loved” by Scottish singer Lewis Capaldi.

In 2021, Proehl posted a TikTok of himself playing the piano and singing for the first time in front of his grandmother, which received nearly 4 million likes.

“I think I just found music super healing, and my grandma is the reason why I’m here,” Proehl, standing beside his grandmother, told judges Katy Perry, Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan. “She’s the reason why I have any confidence at all to be in this room.”

During his audition, Proehl sang a cover of Brett Young’s “In Case You Didn’t Know,” resulting in an emphatic seal of approval from Perry.

“American Idol” judges Lionel Richie, Katy Perry and Luke Bryan during auditions for Season 22 of the ABC show.

“Every grandma thinks that their grandchildren are great, but you’re right,” Perry told Proehl’s grandmother in the clip.

Will Proehl receive the coveted golden ticket from judges? You can find out during the Season 7 premiere of “American Idol,” which will air on Sunday, Feb. 18, at 8 p.m. on ABC.