Who is on the Carolina Panthers’ Mount Rushmore?
By Dean Jones
Julius Peppers
Few players came into the NFL with a bigger reputation than defensive end Julius Peppers. He was the Carolina Panthers’ first-round pick back in 2002 and instantly change the fortunes of their defense.
This is a trend that continued throughout his first spell in Carolina. Pepper quickly established himself as one of the NFL’s most ferocious pass-rushers thanks to his rare blend of speed, power and agility.
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There was nothing he couldn’t do getting to the quarterback. The player also possessed a ruthless streak that is hard to find and this further enhanced his overall influence on the Panthers.
Although Peppers did have a spell away from the franchise in the NFC North with the Chicago Bears and Green Bay Packers. It seemed fitting that the player ended his career in a Panthers’ uniform before eventually calling it a day.
When one thinks of the greatest ever Carolina Panthers players, then Peppers is one of the first names that come to mind. He was an inspirational figure throughout his time with the organization and the team was a lot worse off when he moved on to pastures new.
Peppers finished his career with three first-team All-Pro selections, nine Pro Bowls, in addition to being named NFL All-Decade in both the 2000s and 2010s.
This is down in no small part to his jaw-dropping career stats that included 715 tackles, 159.5 sacks, 79 pass deflections, 11 interceptions, 51 forced fumbles, and 11 touchdowns.