CHARLOTTE, N.C. (WBTV) – A former Clemson football star has gotten his coach’s attention as he continues to work toward an NFL comeback with his hometown Carolina Panthers.
Hunter Renfrow signed with the Panthers one day after the 2025 draft, giving new life to the Myrtle Beach native’s football career.
Renfrow — now 29 years old — began his NFL career with the Raiders, but saw football nearly slip away from him amid a diagnosis with ulcerative colitis. The condition caused him to lose 35 pounds and resulted in him missing the 2024 season entirely.
At one point, a return to football seemed so far-fetched for the wide receiver that he started working for a recycling company in South Carolina.
Fast forward to 2025 and Renfrow said he feels much better and is ready to retake the field.
—> Also Read: Carolina native battled disease, took year off from football before joining Panthers
The 2022 Pro-Bowler has already made an impression — including on head coach Dave Canales — despite being a Panther for only a month.
Following the first practice of OTAs on Tuesday, Canales called Renfrow “a guy who’s been a really good player,” and talked about the progression he has made since signing.
“You see weekly … he just makes these huge strides, just getting his feet under him,” Canales said of Renfrow. “He’s just got a lot in his game … and you can see him kind of working through his inventory.”
Wide receiver Hunter Renfrow is attempting an NFL comeback with his hometown Panthers.(Nell Redmond | AP)
Canales added that watching the former Clemson star get back into a groove has been “really cool” and “fun to see.”
While the addition of Renfrow has arguably been one of the more intriguing stories of the offseason for the Panthers, he is no “lock” to make the regular-season roster.
For the first time in what feels like a while, Carolina has what figures to be a talented wide receiver room.
The presumed locks include 2024 and 2025 first-round picks Xavier Legette and Tetairoa McMillan, veteran Adam Thielen and second-year man Jalen Coker. That leaves Renfrow, David Moore, rookie Jimmy Horn Jr., and others battling for the last receiver spots.
OTAs and minicamp will offer the first true step to earning those roster spots, with the final decisions set to come at the end of training camp and the preseason.
—> Also Read: Former Clemson star worked for recycling company before being signed by Panthers
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