South Charlotte Today

CHARLOTTE — Julius Peppers, the former NFL defensive end, made an unexpected visit to Panthers practice on Tuesday due to travel disruptions caused by Hurricane Debby. Originally planning to fly home from Canton-Akron Airport, Peppers and his family rented a car and drove south when their flight was canceled. They decided to stop in Charlotte on their way back to Florida.

"It was just like, hey, we're going to drive, let's go," Peppers said. "It wasn't a planned trip at this time; I was planning to come at some point, but not today."

Head coach Dave Canales invited Peppers to speak with the team after practice. Canales described the talk as "a powerful message," echoing themes from Peppers' Hall of Fame speech delivered Saturday.

"For us who've gotten a chance to hear his Hall of Fame speech, he was able to really take the highlights of it," Canales stated. He emphasized that Peppers spoke about creating lasting memories with teammates and fostering a family atmosphere within the team.

Peppers also had an opportunity to reconnect with former teammates such as JJ Jansen and Shaq Thompson. He spent time on the sidelines talking with Dan Morgan, now the general manager but previously a teammate on the franchise's first Super Bowl team following the 2003 season.

A staffer played Nelly's "Hot In Herre" during one period of practice music in honor of Peppers' appearance in the song's video alongside former Bobcats minority owner Nelly.

Morgan attended last Friday’s Gold Jacket Dinner in Canton where he reconnected with Peppers. Despite their busy schedules, they appreciated meeting again so soon.

"Coach and Dave and everybody, Dan, they all welcome all of us," Peppers said. "Not just me, but all of the former players and alumni to come back and support."

During his enshrinement ceremony speech Saturday afternoon, Peppers thanked owners Dave and Nicole Tepper and urged patience during team-building efforts. Although he occasionally meets them in South Florida where they both have homes, he offers suggestions only when asked.

Reflecting on Morgan’s role in building the current team roster, Peppers expressed optimism for its future success despite recent struggles: "It takes time to build a team... The promise in the future looks great."

"The NFL is cyclical," he added. "The past couple of years have been a struggle here... I think everybody has confidence that things are getting ready to turn."