Jadeveon Clowney: I wanted to wait until I was mature enough to return home
Jadeveon Clowney agreed to a contract with the Panthers this week, but the prospect of playing for the NFC South team has been on the edge rusher's mind for some time.
Clowney grew up near Charlotte in Rock Hill, South Carolina and grew up watching players like Julius Peppers star for his new team. Clowney, who officially signed his two-year deal on Friday, said "it's going to be crazy" being back in the area and said that he wanted to be sure he was ready to handle that before fulfilling his longtime goal of playing for his hometown team.
"I used to just watch them on TV all the time and say I can't wait till I get my opportunity to do that one day," Clowney said, via the team's website. "Years ago, when I hit free agency, I told my agent not to reach out to Carolina because I wanted to mature more. And to get to this point where I know if I have to go back there, I can handle myself, and it won't be a problem for me to do my job because I was still learning how to be a pro. So now I'm 31. I said I'm at the age now where I'm cool going back home; I can handle myself."
Clowney got to watch some winning Panthers teams when he was growing up in the area. It's been a while since there's been one of those for the next generation of fans to celebrate and the hope is that Clowney can help Carolina put one on the field soon.
