CHARLOTTE – When arrived as a freakishly athletic rookie defensive end in 2002, he and Mike Rucker instantly formed a fearsome pass-rushing duo.
Peppers, who was later named NFC Defensive Rookie of the Year, recorded 12 sacks in 12 games, and Rucker posted 10. They were the only double-digit sack duo in the NFL.
The next season, when Carolina advanced to Super Bowl XXXVIII, Rucker posted a career-high 12 sacks while his young super star sidekick attracted the extra attention of offenses.
Rucker retired after nine seasons in 2007, and in 2010, Peppers left to spend four years with the Chicago Bears and three with the Green Bay Packers.