Let me take you back to 1998 when a young, dual-sport athlete born in Wilson, North Carolina, was deciding on where he would attend college. He chose his hometown Tar Heels as the suitor for his talents.
After he redshirted in 1998 during his freshman year, Peppers started 34 games over the next three years in football for the Tar Heels. His best season came in his senior year where he finished top ten in the Heisman voting. Peppers also played basketball at North Carolina from 1999-2001 where he averaged 7.1 points and 4.0 rebounds per game in his senior year.
It did not take long for the defensive end to hear his name called in the 2002 NFL Draft going No. 2 overall to his home state Carolina Panthers . The rest is history. Peppers played for the Panthers from 2002 to 2009 where he was named NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year as well as two First-Team All-Pro selections. In his second to last year with the Panthers, Peppers had 51 combined tackles, 14.5 sacks, and five forced fumbles.
His career transitioned to the Chicago Bears where he played four years with the team from 2010 to 2013. While in Chicago, Peppers received another First-Team All-Pro selection and three more Pro Bowls.
The last three meaningful years of his career before he made his return home to Carolina came with the Green Bay Packers from 2014-2016 where he secured one last Pro Bowl nomination.
He played his last season in the NFL in 2018 with the Carolina Panthers before retiring a legend. He was named to the NFL’s 2000s and 2010s All-Decade teams as well as the Carolina Panthers Ring of Honor and the list of 100 Greatest Chicago Bears.
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