Peppers, a North Carolina native who played both football and basketball for the in-state Tar Heels, dreamed of playing professional basketball, and his college coach, Matt Doherty, thought Peppers could have played in the NBA. "I'm proud that I got to play for each of you." "To my other coaches - Lovie Smith and Rod Marinelli in Chicago, Mike McCarthy (who got a raw deal in Green Bay this year), Ron Rivera and all my coaches in Carolina: Thank you for being incredible leaders and great men," Peppers wrote. Peppers included Mike McCarthy, who coached Peppers in Green Bay and was fired with four games left in the 2018 seasons, in his list of thank yous. He not only bonded with his teammates but also with his coaches. I'm glad I had a front seat for some of it." "I've never seen anybody do some of the things you can do, man. and for making me believe that somehow, a Hail Mary can be a high-percentage throw," Peppers wrote. "Aaron Rodgers, just for being an all-time great player and teammate. My sadness in playing with him is not giving him a chance to win a ring because of all the players who have played in the NFL, there's not many that deserve a ring like Julius Peppers because he's one of the all-time greats." I love him as a person, as a teammate," Rodgers said in a tribute video posted on the Panthers website. To that point, he had never undergone a single surgery. He never missed a game during his three seasons with the Packers and missed only six games in his career (four due to suspension). He was respected both for his productivity and durability. He brought instant credibility to a Packers locker room that didn't often get the chance to welcome veteran free agents. He reached the NFC Championship Game twice with the Packers, following the 20 seasons, but they lost both times. He did so with the hope that he'd finally get another shot at a Super Bowl - something he experienced, and lost, in his second year in the NFL. Peppers signed a three-year, $26 million contract with the Packers in 2014. "So to Chicago and Green Bay: Thank you for embracing me and allowing me to be a part of your families." I was sad to leave Green Bay, and I don't think I would have left to go anywhere but home to Carolina. it was a really great experience being a part of that culture. "You know, small town, good people who love their football. "I guess more than anything, Green Bay just felt like home," Peppers wrote. But Peppers' retirement, announced Friday after 17 NFL seasons, resonated in Wisconsin.Īnd clearly, based on Peppers' response on that late 2017 day and in his retirement essay posted on The Players' Tribune, Peppers cherished his time in Green Bay - which followed eight years in Carolina and four years in Chicago and came before he returned to the Panthers for his final two seasons. He recorded 25 sacks in those three regular seasons, representing just 19.1 percent of his total, which ranks fourth on the all-time sack list. Peppers spent only three years in Green Bay, which equates to just 17.6 percent of his NFL career. With that, Peppers offered an embrace and went on his way. Peppers, on his way out of the stadium, said two things: That upon hitting Rodgers, he wanted to "get the ball and make sure Rodgers didn't get hurt" and then he asked his interlocutor from Green Bay to "be kind to the guys back there." The Panthers' 31-24 win ended any hope that the Packers could make the playoffs, and Rodgers returned to injured reserve to finish the season. Rodgers had just come off injured reserve that week after missing half the season with a broken collarbone. At the end of the play, Peppers appeared to adjust to avoid pulling down Rodgers with excessive force. It was a chance encounter near the players' exit at Bank of America Stadium shortly after the Carolina Panthers beat the Green Bay Packers in December 2017, and Julius Peppers stopped for a chat.Įarlier that afternoon, Peppers sacked Aaron Rodgers. Julius Peppers in retirement: Green Bay 'felt like home' You have reached a degraded version of because you're using an unsupported version of Internet Explorer.įor a complete experience, please upgrade or use a supported browser
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