Despite offseason, Peppers voted Panthers captain

By MIKE CRANSTON, AP Sports Writer Sep 9, 6:48 pm EDT

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CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP)—His Carolina Panthers teammates insisted defensive end Julius Peppers’(notes) offseason efforts to leave town hadn’t affected his standing in the locker room.

On Wednesday they proved it through the ballot box, voting Peppers a defensive team captain.

“It’s a tribute to what he has done here. He’s been the face of the defense for what, eight years now,” said linebacker Jon Beason(notes), voted the other defensive captain. “I think guys know that he’s a quiet leader, but he takes care of his job. I think looking at it, making him team captain is saying, ‘Look, we expect you to play like that.”’

Peppers had a career-high 14 1/2 sacks last season in the final year of his contract. He soon pleaded with the Panthers to let him leave in free agency. He said he had “maxed out” in Carolina and wanted to play outside linebacker in a 3-4 defense.

The Panthers still placed the franchise tag on him, which included a one-year deal for an NFL-high $16.7 million. After skipping all offseason workouts, Peppers finally signed the tender.

He showed up to training camp on time and hasn’t missed a practice while mostly avoiding reporters.

“I think his teammates know him a lot better than maybe the media does,” coach John Fox said. “I think it says a lot about who he really is when your teammates vote you a captain.”

Quarterback Jake Delhomme(notes) and tackle Jordan Gross(notes) were voted offensive captains. Kicker John Kasay(notes) got the nod for special teams.

Updated Sep 9, 6:48 pm EDT
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151 Comments

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  1. Patriots R Cheaters
    151. Posted by Patriots R Cheaters Fri Sep 11 11:26am EDT

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    Way to go Pep......yur the best!!
  2. Serenity
    150. Posted by Serenity Thu Sep 10 8:31am EDT

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    i will concure with everettghoover for the simple fact the panthers could have done alot better with their picks this season and to top the cake delhomme should not even be the starting quaterback. peppers is good but if he wanted to leave they should have let him and put someone just as good if not better in his place. peppers knew they didnt want him to leave so he chose to set the contract like that to insure himself. i guess it is what it is though right? they paid him.
  3. <i>dglehew</i>
    149. Posted by dglehew Wed Sep 9 10:42pm EDT

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    Send Cold Peppers packing, the captain title is a real joke !! Then again, captain of a 6 & 10 team fits him and throwaway Jake !
  4. Lind
    148. Posted by Lind Tue Aug 25 6:38pm EDT

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    Red Hot Chilli Peppers. He must get tied of playing for the Panthers, really cannot blame him.
  5. Kyle
    147. Posted by Kyle Tue Aug 25 6:02pm EDT

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    J-Pepp haters back down! Jake Delhomme threw the Panthers season away with 3 interceptions and a fumble last year against the Cardinals. He doensn't say a word and is hit with a huge deal during offseason. J-Pepp who recorded his career high 14 1/2 sacks just wants a little love, unfortunately the Panthers doesn't have the love that he needs. J-Pepp is a winner, and he needs to be with a team that is aggressive and proves itself as a winner. The Panthers are real good, but Delhomme seems to flop every year. So get off J-pepp's back, hate on Delhomme if anyone!
  6. <i>junie_cracks</i>
    146. Posted by junie_cracks Tue Aug 25 5:36pm EDT

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    He said he didn't want to b there u tag him...what the f!@@ do u expect.Look just because u pay him alot of money doesn't mean he's gonna b happy
  7. PantherFan95
    145. Posted by PantherFan95 Tue Aug 25 5:09pm EDT

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    It's bad enough that he only tries 50% of the time. Now the underachieving selfish one claims that he doesn't need to try in preseason either. That's funny, he didn't have this attitude about preseason last year when he had a career year. What a waste of talent!!!!!! I thought he would at least have a good year since he realized nobody thinks he's worth the $17m the Panthers are stuck with this year. It sounds like he's already cashed in and will be disappearing into the sunset by end of this year. The Panthers should have seen that coming when he refused to take a leadership role a few years ago despite getting leadership salary.
  8. Roger
    144. Posted by Roger Tue Aug 25 4:57pm EDT

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    the down fall seems to be Jakes slight decline played only 3 games in 07 and hes throwing less TD's, he has about 2 more productive years left, its hard going past 10 years and being a hell of a QB at that point,,, they need to make a move to replace him next year and work on the replacement till Jakes contract is up
  9. Roger
    143. Posted by Roger Tue Aug 25 4:42pm EDT

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    whent this first started, the francise tag talk, leaving CAR talk, the hold outs on everthing, it all boiled down to he had a bad ass 2008 season and wanted to see what he could get, so he held off signing with anyone for as long as possable and made a deal with his old team behind doors that was probably just as good as offers he had, the charlotteobservor, scoresreport, even his agent said he wanted out, but it was all for the love of money, they cut goings, hackett, bridges, etc. to clear cap room, the guy wasnt worth it, they should of let him go
  10. <i>shhstinkswow</i>
    142. Posted by shhstinkswow Tue Aug 25 4:15pm EDT

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    Hold on a minute!!!jake bum ass signs a contract extension but he's not over paid. He threw 5 interceptions in the playoffs last year and not a word. the nfl stands for not for long so get paid while u can. preseason is not the regular season so give the man a break.
  11. walter l
    141. Posted by walter l Tue Aug 25 4:14pm EDT

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    Everyone on here is dead wrong. He didn't want the franchise tag, he didn't want more money. Peppers wanted to play in a 3-4 defensive scheme and play outside linebacker. When he says he's "maxed out" that means he's basically accomplished everything he could/ wanted to in Carolina. For god sakes, he grew up there, played college ball there, I would want to try something different too. All in all, he knows what he's capable of doing and knows how good he is, but the guy wants to be challenged.
  12. <i>ericfleming2003</i>
    140. Posted by ericfleming2003 Fri Jul 17 2:32pm EDT

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    i don't understand why the panthers just don't go a head a trade peppers. instead of holding on to someone who does not want to play there anymore. hey if they wait intil next year and try to frnchise him again they are going to be in the place they are this year. It's time to move on. let him go play for a championship cause the panthers have a long way to go before they reach a superbowl again.
  13. markd
    139. Posted by markd Fri Jul 17 2:10pm EDT

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    Don't understand all the whining from the Carolina fans. He is the only player on defense they really have.If you are going to resign Jake with his shoulder problems that make Brett look like he is 20%.Sign him,or trade him.Don't put the franchise tag on the man because your too much the pu$$ies to pony up the dough.Have fun competing with Tampa Bay for last this season.
  14. Lind
    138. Posted by Lind Fri Jul 17 1:00pm EDT

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    Julius should change his name to Red Hot Chilli Peppers and start a reality with Ocho Cinco and TO on how to be a really annoying obnoxious overpaid athlete
  15. Marvin H
    137. Posted by Marvin H Fri Jul 17 9:46am EDT

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    They should just say BYE BYE fool go get yourself more money we will keep our 16 mil and sign 4 players with it to replace your old sorry self.
  16. Mike B
    136. Posted by Mike B Fri Jul 17 12:42am EDT

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    why would anyone think the panthers are going to win it all not gonna happen, they know it so why long term a whiner who had a above average CONTRACT season he is an above average player who already said at least twice that he wanted out , So get out go play on a worse team and get more money, Show everyone how much dough you deserve maybe the browns or lions you could be a like a football god with 4 wins a year instead of 10 or 11 and making the playoffs,even though the saints,cardinals,and the CUBS will win a superbowl before the panthers.
  17. Roger
    135. Posted by Roger Thu Jul 16 10:47pm EDT

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    like I said 3 OL men gone, the offence will suffer a bit, why did they sign peppers
  18. Roger
    134. Posted by Roger Thu Jul 16 10:44pm EDT

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    I saw this comming, you kind of got the impression he didnt want the long term deal, the big question remains, how does this affect the other team members, and why not take the hit and let him go, 16 mill plus could get you a good fill in, and that could be long term for 16 mill, the article toutched on it a little but there were some good names they sacraficed, Jeremy Bridges, Geoff Hangartner, and Frank Omiyale, from the line and with no money they have to lay on guys with little experiance in schwartz and bernardaue, and DT, DE, etc. maybe Im the only one that doesnt get it
  19. mark
    133. Posted by mark Thu Jul 16 10:42pm EDT

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    Doesn't matter who the Panthers have on defense. Their offense will run over every team all the way to the super bowl.
  20. MAN OF GOD
    132. Posted by MAN OF GOD Thu Jul 16 9:03pm EDT

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    personally i look at it both ways i agree with alot of you guys
    1) he got 7 yrs of wear and tear on him, this season making 8
    2) if he goes to another team and they don't win the super bowl will he act like a big hairy PUSH-C LOL with them.
    and i agree die-nasty i also agree we should've got another QB but fox would've benched him and played jakes sorry ass... now JAKES A SHAVED SMOOTH PUSH-C LLOL
  21. <i>sugaman_football</i>
    131. Posted by sugaman_football Thu Jul 16 7:26pm EDT

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    Butch u must be smoking trees JP is that fire 14.5 sacks and he doesn't have the dline depth like when he came inn mike rucker brenston bruckner kris jenkins so you tell me and half the time he double teamed or held .......................................JP is the illest de in the league
  22. David
    130. Posted by David Thu Jul 16 6:32pm EDT

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    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LuYTduJza1c
  23. Butch
    129. Posted by Butch Thu Jul 16 3:24pm EDT

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    Peppers isn't the freak you think. He's a slacker and the owners and coaches know it. He's a gentle giant with freakish ability who, despite being 6'6" and 275lbs, played basketball for UNC like a little girl. What he did this year was get blown off the ball on every run play. He doesn't make tackles and can't handle physical O-Linemen, despite his natural size and talent. Look up his career stats and look at his tackles per game, not just sacks.

    He'd be fine if they threw the ball every down. No quarterback is afraid of him because he's SO gifted that he wraps people up soft. He never blows through a QB full force and doesn't pop runners in the mouth. He's a cat with no claws...all agility and speed, but no danger really.

    He's turning 30 and his 2 assets are going to diminish. Now the team won't pay for diminishing returns. Other defensive guys hit harder as they get older to make up for it. You won't EVER see Peppers hit you harder.
  24. Deano Sauve
    128. Posted by Deano Sauve Thu Jul 16 3:16pm EDT

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    You tag a player to get something of value for him. It's a bunch of B.S. going back to owners thinking they OWN the players. They see and treat the players like property (kind of like your boss treats you). There should be unrestricted free-agency period. When a player's contract expires he should be allowed to go out and "fish" for the best deal he can with no hinderances to his ability to "do a deal". These guys have a very limited number of years to collect on their skills and talents and they need to make as much as they are able to before those skills (and their health) deteriorate. This will be a HUGE loss for Carolina and a big pickup forsome other team. Peppers is a BEAST!
  25. Texas_Hurricane
    127. Posted by Texas_Hurricane Thu Jul 16 1:56pm EDT

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    I Really Can't Blame Him,The Panthers Do Suck!
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