South Charlotte Today

Patrick Jones II, a newly signed outside linebacker for the Carolina Panthers, has finally returned to what he considers his true home—Charlotte. Despite spending his childhood in various locations due to his father's military career, Charlotte holds a special place in Jones's heart.

Jones recounted his life journey: "I grew up all over the place, and really the first place I ever really came back to in the United States was Charlotte." He elaborated on how his family settled there after evacuating Japan following the 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami.

Fourteen years later, Jones has signed a contract with the Panthers, committing to stay in Charlotte for at least two seasons. Reflecting on this decision, he said, "The second the Panthers was in play, on the table, I just knew this was where I needed to be."

Although Jones's football aspirations began during his time in Misawa, Japan, it wasn't until high school in Virginia that he could start playing due to an earlier foot injury. His passion for football took root during his seventh-grade year at Piedmont Middle School while watching games from the sidelines.

Jones spent four seasons with the Minnesota Vikings before joining Carolina. During his tenure with Minnesota's top-performing defense last season, he recorded 39 tackles and seven sacks. The opportunity to reunite with former teammate D.J. Wonnum contributed significantly to Jones's decision to join the Panthers. "It's going to be crazy," Jones remarked about their potential collaboration. "Everybody going to know it's going to be big time."

He also expressed excitement about playing alongside Derrick Brown: "Everybody knows Derrick Brown...it's going to help us be able to collapse the whole pocket and just put endless pressure on quarterbacks."

Now settling into life back in Charlotte involves contemplating whether he'll live with either set of parents or perhaps move into grandma's house—a prospect made more enticing by fond memories of fishing excursions as a child.

Reflecting on these times spent learning patience from uncles Bug and Terry (the latter having passed away recently), Jones noted that being near loved ones remains invaluable amid professional pursuits like meeting new teammates at Bank of America Stadium Thursday morning while accompanied closely by supportive family members witnessing firsthand dreams realized upon returning home again after travels far-reaching across continents over years past.

"It's just crazy," he mused about coming full circle through experiences shaping personal growth along winding paths leading ultimately toward familiar grounds once left behind only temporarily long ago yet never forgotten entirely since then till now when everything seems right once more simply because indeed there truly is no place quite like home itself always calling out softly even amidst distant echoes resonating faintly still somewhere deep within soul searching ceaselessly without end until finally finding rest anew among kindred spirits waiting patiently nearby already knowing well enough already what awaits beyond horizon unseen until moment arrives bringing closure full circle naturally unto itself forevermore thereafter eternally bound together somehow mysteriously yet unmistakably so inevitably nonetheless assuredly thereby confirming truth underlying reality perceived therein undeniably clear despite apparent contradictions apparent perhaps superficially initially 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