After missing an entire NFL season due to ulcerative colitis, Carolina Panthers wide receiver Hunter Renfrow returned to play last week, participating in his first game since 2023. Renfrow played 42 snaps against the Jacksonville Jaguars, marking his highest workload since November 2022.
When asked about returning to the field and taking a hit from Jaguars safety Eric Murray, Renfrow responded with humor. “Not really,” he said with a laugh about the shot he took from Jaguars safety Eric Murray across the middle last week.
“I was good, I mean, sometimes you have to learn the lessons and you have to go out there and face the trials and tribulations and come out better on the other side,” he continued. “So that’s part of it, and it was good to take it, I guess, yeah.”
Renfrow discussed how missing time affected him physically but emphasized that his skills as a route-runner remained intact. He noted that regaining full physical readiness is a process: “I think your body through an NFL season gets callused,” Renfrow said. “And I think a lot of the guys in here will tell you after you finish and restart the next year, once you take a couple months off, you have to get re-callused, right? And that’s where I’m at. I have to get re-callused, take the hits, get the load on my legs, feel good about running that route 100 times and not popping anything or tweaking anything.
“So we’re in the process of that, but hopefully we can continue to get better, continue to get callused and feel better.”
He explained that typically this adjustment takes four to six weeks—about as long as training camp—but his preparation was interrupted by a hamstring strain during preseason. Despite these setbacks, Renfrow feels progress is being made: I feel like I’m starting to not hurt after every practice,” he joked. “So yeah, I’m getting into the rhythm of it and starting to get better.”
Last week against Jacksonville he caught two passes for 11 yards. The Panthers are looking for him to expand his role moving forward as they pair his experience with rookie Tetairoa McMillan and second-year player Xavier Legette.
Panthers head coach Dave Canales expressed confidence in Renfrow’s contributions: “I’m so excited Hunter’s here,” Panthers head coach Dave Canales said. “I think just having him in the game, having another guy you trust to know where he’s going to be. And I think just as we continue to just build this season, you know, we’ll be able to build and create more and more off of things that he’s done forever.
“We have like an amazing, 130-play cut up of Hunter Renfrow concepts and passes and things that fit in with our system. And things that I’m curious learning about and trying to figure out how to incorporate, so I’m really stoked that he’s here.”
Offensive coordinator Brad Idzik spoke about integrating Renfrow into their offense: “It’s just continuing to learn the guy when you get into a game-plan mode when you’re putting guys in specific spots, OK, how do you want to highlight them?” Idzik said. “How do you complement the things he does? It’s a lot of fun because you get to go back. I watched all his targets from Vegas, and I’ve been having great conversations with him on the side like ‘OK what are some of the things you like? How do they use you?’ How do they coach it up…and then how can we bring those conversations to Bryce so you two are on the same page?
‘He mentioned it early last spring…he’s like is that what it’s going feel like during season?…this is actually a form of conceptual learning…so we put them in all different spots so we knew what concepts were…now we get pick choose where those guys are going into game week maximize matchups.'”
Veteran wide receiver David Moore praised Renfrow’s ability: “He looks just like Hunter me,” veteran wideout David Moore said.”Yeah he’s still doing freaky stuff.
“I tell him all time he ain’t got no knees but looks good man Whatever he’s got it’s working it’s working sure.”
Moore also noted seeing Renfrow handle contact reassured teammates about his readiness: “You can see excitement,” Moore said.”We all saw how got hit right back up.Yeah he’s pretty excited.”
For now Renfrow continues treating each practice rep seriously while adjusting back after extended absence.He described last week’s performance as positive step:”It was good,”Renfrow said.”It was live bullets for first time while.Preseason was some,but full game for first time year,jitters sure,some balls definitely wish could have back go make play few.
“But it was a good starting point.”
