Not that former Carolina Panthers coach John Fox needed any more convincing, but Julius Peppers’ 6.5 sacks through six games this season and his production in the twilight of his career are reminders that Fox would have liked another year with the future Hall of Famer.
The Panthers selected Peppers with the No. 2 overall pick in 2002, shortly after Fox succeeded George Seifert, and Fox watched the athletic defensive end collect 10 or more sacks in six of his eight seasons during his first stint with Carolina.
But after the Panthers and Peppers couldn’t agree on a long-term deal – they were $6 million apart after GM Marty Hurney offered to make Peppers the NFL’s highest-paid defensive player – Peppers played under the franchise tag in 2009 and then signed a free agent deal with Chicago the following offseason.