Source: Scott Cunningham / Getty
After 17 years in the NFL Carolina Panther defensive end, Julius Peppers is retiring! The North Carolina native attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. While in college, he received several awards including
- Sporting News Freshman All-American (1999)
- First-team All-ACC (2000)
- Second-team Associated Press All-American (2000)
- Second-team Football News All-American (2000)
- Division I-A sacks leader (2000)
- First-team All-ACC (2001)
- Consensus first-team All-American (2001)
- Bronko Nagurski Trophy finalist (2001)
- Chuck Bednarik Award (2001)
- Bill Willis Trophy (2001)
- Lombardi Award (2001)
In the 2002 NFL Draft, Peppers was the Panthers second overall pick. He played for the Panthers from the 2002 season to the 2009 season then he played for the Chicago Bears for the 2010 season through the 2013 season then the Green Bay Packers from the 2014 season to the 2016 season before returning to the Panthers.
His NFL career has been outstanding. He has received many honors and broken several records.
- NFL Rookie of the Month (10/02)
- 2002 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year
- Pro Football Weekly All-Rookie Team (2002)
- 2004 NFC Defensive Player of the Year
- 2004 NFL Alumni Defensive Lineman of the Year
- 2013 Brian Piccolo Award
- 2018 Panthers’ Ed Block Courage Award
- NFL 2000s All Decade Team
- Pro-Football-Reference All 2000s Team
- 100 Sacks Club
- 2004, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015 NFC Pro Bowl
- 2004, 2006, 2010 All-Pro First Team
- 2008, 2009, 2012 All-Pro Second Team
- Seven time NFC Defensive Player of the Week (11/13/06, 11/9/08, 11/1/09, 11/18/10, 12/23/12, February 10, 2014, January 10, 2017)
- Four time NFC Defensive Player of the Month (11/2004, 10/2006, 11/2010, 11/2011)
Panthers franchise records
- Most career sacks: (97)
- Most career forced fumbles: (34)
- Longest Interception return: 97 yards (against the Denver Broncos on 10/10/04)
NFL records and accomplishments
- Fourth most sacks in NFL history: 159.5
- Tied for third most double digit sack seasons in NFL history: 10
- Tied for fifth most games with at least three sacks: 9
- Tied for fifth most multiple sack games in NFL history: 37
- Second most forced fumbles in NFL history: 51
- Second most interceptions by a defensive lineman in NFL history: 9 *11 career interceptions, including time played as a linebacker
- Most interception return yards by a defensive lineman in NFL history: 192 yds *293 career interception return yards including time played as a linebacker
- Most interception return yards in a single season by a defensive lineman in NFL history: 143 yds
- Most interception return yards in a single game by a defensive lineman in NFL history: 97 yds
- Longest interception return by a defensive lineman in NFL history: 97 yds
- Most combined interceptions and fumble return yards by a defensive lineman in a single season since NFL merger in 1970: 203 yds
- Tied for second most interceptions returned for a touchdown by a defensive lineman in NFL history: 2 *4 career interceptions returned for a touchdown including time played as a linebacker
- Third most passes defensed by a defensive lineman in NFL history: 68 *82 career passes defensed including time played as a linebacker
- Second most blocked kicks in NFL history: 13
- Only player in NFL history to record at least 100 sacks and 10 interceptions
- Only player in NFL history with 100-plus sacks and four interceptions returned for touchdowns
- Only player in NFL history to record at least 150 sacks and 10 interceptions
- Peppers has three career games with at least a half-sack and an interception-return touchdown, the most such games in the NFL since the sack became an official statistic in 1982
Talk has already begun on when he will be inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame. Peppers will be missed by the Panthers. Hopefully, they will retire his number.
