Julius Peppers Named To Pro Football Hall Of Fame
February 8, 2024 | Football
CHAPEL HILL – Carolina football legend Julius Peppers will be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, the Hall announced during the NFL Honors program on Thursday night. Peppers is the third Tar Heel to achieve Hall of Fame status, joining Chris Hanburger (2011) and Lawrence Taylor (1999). The members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame's 2024 class will officially be enshrined in Canton, Ohio on Aug. 3.
"Julius Peppers' dedication to football at every level epitomizes what a Hall of Famer should be, and we congratulate him wholeheartedly on this much-deserved honor," said UNC Director of Athletics Bubba Cunningham. "He is not only one of the greatest to play football at Carolina, but also one of the greatest to play the game, period. We applaud and appreciate his talent, his generosity, and his legacy."
A first-ballot Hall of Famer, Peppers was drafted by the Carolina Panthers second overall in the first round of the 2002 NFL Draft and went on to play 10 years for the Carolina Panthers, four years for the Chicago Bears, and three years for the Green Bay Packers. During his professional career, he earned nine Pro Bowl selections, three first-team All-Pro honors, three second-team All-Pro recognitions, Defensive Rookie of the Year and was named to the NFL's All-Decade team for the 2000s. During his 17 seasons, Peppers tallied 719 tackles, 159.5 sacks, 175 TFL, 52 forced fumbles, 21 fumble recoveries and 11 INTs. His 159.5 sacks are the fourth most since sacks became an official stat in 1982.
"What a couple of months for Julius Peppers with the announcements that he'll be inducted into both the Pro and College Football Halls of Fame this year," said UNC Head Coach Mack Brown. "We've always believed that Julius is one of the greatest football players to ever put on the pads and the announcement that he'll be a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame confirms it. We couldn't be prouder of Julius for the person, father, husband and friend he's become and it's so rewarding to see him recognized for his significant accomplishments on the football field. He is now officially one of the greatest of all time and we can't congratulate him enough."
Peppers played in Chapel Hill from 1999-2001 becoming one of the most disruptive defensive players the sport has ever seen. A unanimous first-team All-American in 2001, he won the Chuck Bednarik Award for the nation's top defensive player and the Rotary Lombardi Award, which at the time was given to the nation's top interior lineman. He finished 10th in the Heisman Trophy balloting, was a finalist for the Nagurski Trophy and was honored as Chevrolet's Defensive Player of the Year. A first-team All-ACC selection in both 2000 and '01, Peppers finished his collegiate career with 177 tackles, 30.5 sacks, 53 TFL, five INTs and five forced fumbles.
Peppers has also been extremely generous philanthropically, having donated to the UNC General Alumni Association's Light on the Hill Society Scholarship fund on two separate occasions. He was also the Panther's 2018 NFL Man of the Year nominee.
For up-to-date information on Carolina football, visit GoHeels.com/Football and follow us on Twitter (@UNCFootball), Instagram (@uncfootball) and Facebook (Facebook.com/TarHeelFootball).
"Julius Peppers' dedication to football at every level epitomizes what a Hall of Famer should be, and we congratulate him wholeheartedly on this much-deserved honor," said UNC Director of Athletics Bubba Cunningham. "He is not only one of the greatest to play football at Carolina, but also one of the greatest to play the game, period. We applaud and appreciate his talent, his generosity, and his legacy."
A first-ballot Hall of Famer, Peppers was drafted by the Carolina Panthers second overall in the first round of the 2002 NFL Draft and went on to play 10 years for the Carolina Panthers, four years for the Chicago Bears, and three years for the Green Bay Packers. During his professional career, he earned nine Pro Bowl selections, three first-team All-Pro honors, three second-team All-Pro recognitions, Defensive Rookie of the Year and was named to the NFL's All-Decade team for the 2000s. During his 17 seasons, Peppers tallied 719 tackles, 159.5 sacks, 175 TFL, 52 forced fumbles, 21 fumble recoveries and 11 INTs. His 159.5 sacks are the fourth most since sacks became an official stat in 1982.
"What a couple of months for Julius Peppers with the announcements that he'll be inducted into both the Pro and College Football Halls of Fame this year," said UNC Head Coach Mack Brown. "We've always believed that Julius is one of the greatest football players to ever put on the pads and the announcement that he'll be a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame confirms it. We couldn't be prouder of Julius for the person, father, husband and friend he's become and it's so rewarding to see him recognized for his significant accomplishments on the football field. He is now officially one of the greatest of all time and we can't congratulate him enough."
Peppers played in Chapel Hill from 1999-2001 becoming one of the most disruptive defensive players the sport has ever seen. A unanimous first-team All-American in 2001, he won the Chuck Bednarik Award for the nation's top defensive player and the Rotary Lombardi Award, which at the time was given to the nation's top interior lineman. He finished 10th in the Heisman Trophy balloting, was a finalist for the Nagurski Trophy and was honored as Chevrolet's Defensive Player of the Year. A first-team All-ACC selection in both 2000 and '01, Peppers finished his collegiate career with 177 tackles, 30.5 sacks, 53 TFL, five INTs and five forced fumbles.
Peppers has also been extremely generous philanthropically, having donated to the UNC General Alumni Association's Light on the Hill Society Scholarship fund on two separate occasions. He was also the Panther's 2018 NFL Man of the Year nominee.
For up-to-date information on Carolina football, visit GoHeels.com/Football and follow us on Twitter (@UNCFootball), Instagram (@uncfootball) and Facebook (Facebook.com/TarHeelFootball).