If not for Julius Peppers, outside linebacker Jadeveon Clowney may have been the most menacing running back in NFL history.
After making his new deal with the Carolina Panthers an official one, Clowney hopped on a Zoom call to chat with local reporters this afternoon. When the Rock Hill, S.C. native was asked about the importance of playing for his local team, he revealed some interesting background on a huge (and seemingly life-altering) source of inspiration.
“I just grew up the biggest fan of Julius Peppers,” he replied. “Yeah, I was just a Pep fan. It kinda made me wanna play defensive end when I was in high school, and move from running back to D-end. And now look—I end up in the National Football League after switching positions.”
That switch paid off for Clowney, who ended up in the National Football League as the No. 1 overall pick of the 2014 draft. A decade later, he’s amassed 52.5 sacks, three Pro Bowl selections and, most recently, a lovely two-year contract that could net him up to $24 million.
Unfortunately, there aren’t any Peps on the current Carolina roster. (Heck, there aren’t any other Peps currently in existence.) Nonetheless, Clowney believes the defense that he’s stepping into is pretty darn good.
“The defense was not bad last year,” he later added. “They finished very high still with the defense they had. They got players. I don’t know why people don’t think they got players. They got great players.”
