A Celebration of Julius Peppers

[Captain Morgan]

The first player drafted by the Carolina Panthers to be inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame...

 

The pride of Wilson, NC, we drafted him with the #2 pick of the 2002 draft.  He played DL and RB in High School (!).   He finished his career with 3,501 rushing yards and 46 touchdowns.

He also was All Conference in basketball as a power forward.  And was part of his high school track team he won a state championship in the relay and the Male Athlete of The Year by the NC High School Atheletic Association.

At 6'7'' and 290 pounds with blazing speed, he was an anomaly.  A true freak of nature in which the whole was greater than the sum of the parts...an athletic animal.  And a quiet and sequestered human being.

His first year at UNC he led the nation in sacks with 15.  While at UNC he walked on the basketball team and was on a Final Four team.  

His NFL impact was immediate.  3 sacks and a forced fumble in his second game alone.

The awards piled up in high school, college and the pros, and now, he will inducted, rightfully, in the Hall of Fame.

But he has always been a silent giant.

 

Some of our younger members may not remember his playing days, but I remember when the Big Cat himself called on Julius to step up and be a vocal leader of the team.  This was after Julius had received a 16 million dollar contract.  I remember at the time thinking that was a million dollars per game, and wondered if anyone was worth that.

Now there are players making 30 to 50 million dollars a year.   But Julius stayed quiet and left for greener pastures, and a lot of us were mad at him.

Yet he came back, and was welcomed home.  He retired as a Panther, and was inducted into the Panthers Hall of Fame last year.  

 

He has remained connected to the team.  And the people he grew up with.  After Hurricane Florence, Julius participated in disastor relief efforts in Lumberton, starting a relief fund with a $100,000 donation.  Cam Newton matched that, and other teammates chipped in.

While he was the verbal opposite of Cam, he was respected so much by those who knew him better than most...those who played with him, and against him.

This week Julius has opened up more than ever, and it turns out the introspective athletic freak actually writes....sometimes notes or journals, but also creative writing and even songs.  Never would have guess that.

But tomorrow, he will speak.  He will receive a gold jacket, and he will be celebrated.  He will join one of the most elite fraternties that athletics recognizes.  And for once, we will hear what the quiet giant has to say. 

I'll be watching.  You should too.  This is not a good time to be a Panthers fan, but for those who have been around since the beginning, and for those who have joined since then and stay the thin years, this a moment to revel in being a Panther fan.

For this weekend, let's be proud of not only one of the greatest Panthers ever, but one of football's greatest players ever.

Wear that Gold Jacket proudly Julius!

   

 

 

 

[Icege]

Hell yea Pep!

[pantherclaw]

Still my all time favorite Panther.

[L-TownCat]

Watching Mean Joe Green put that gold jacket on Pep was way more emotional than I thought it was going to be. 

[Butterflyj30]

The Ceremony is taking place now this is a well deserved honor 

[Butterflyj30]

 

[Butterflyj30]

 

[PNW_PantherMan]

That's awesome.  Our very first true Hall of Famer.  Drafted by the team and spent most of his career here.

I would add that if you're looking for a safe jersey to buy, his is now officially an all time classic.  Its the only one I owned from the early 2000's era where the player didn't immediately become cursed after I got it.

Edited August 3 by PNW_PantherMan

[Captain Morgan]

the Steve McMichael presentation....dusty in here

[Butterflyj30]

 

[KillerKat]

Ima have to put my peppers jersey in a plaque now.

[Captain Morgan]

Julius is next!!!!  ESPN and NFL Network

[Butterflyj30]

Awww Julius looks like he is teary eyed 

[Butterflyj30]

It's Wonderful seeing the Panthers fan in the crowd