I still remember when the Packers signed Julius Peppers. Packers signed him on a Saturday morning. I was still sleeping from a long Friday night then starting hearing my phone go off like someone was dying. No one died, rather, Green Bay signed a free agent. That doesn’t happen often. And it was a great move for the team. Everyone lit up and thought he could have been the guy to bring Green Bay to another Super Bowl. Peppers had a great career in Green Bay. He’s a player that I expect to make experiences now and again, even after a shaky exit. In his retirement note, Peppers thanked that fans and included one small nugget.

“And Packers fans? I guess more than anything, Green Bay just felt like home,” Peppers wrote. “You know, small town, good people who love their football … it was a really great experience being a part of that culture. I was sad to leave Green Bay, and I don’t think I would have left to go anywhere but home to Carolina.

Some said yesterday that Packers should not have let Peppers go a couple years ago. I get that theory, but let’s be real here, Julius played a much better 4-3 at his older age. He did not have the speed to be an EDGE at his older age. We saw the decline the last year in Green Bay. He still came up with a play here and there, but Pep disappeared more often than not. It’s great that he had such kind words to say about Green Bay, and that he would have returned to the team yet I’m not sure he would have been any better than what Green Bay saw out of Nick Perry.

Peppers is one of the rare cases of NFL players that will be embraced by two rivals. He had some amazing years with the Chicago Bears and the Packers. That’s really fucking rare. How many can say that? Brett Favre might one of the only other ones where you can say that about, yet, Favre is much more on one side of the rivalry today.

Thank you, Julius, and enjoy retirement.

Charlie.