North Charlotte Today

CHARLOTTE — Panthers legend Julius Peppers delivered a speech on Sunday as he received his Ring of Excellence in honor of his induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The ceremony took place at halftime, and Peppers addressed the home crowd.

"So thank you. I appreciate y'all. I'm going to get right into it," Peppers began.

He expressed gratitude to the Hall of Fame and its staff, mentioning specific individuals. "I want to thank the Hall of Fame, (Hall president) Jim Porter, and the whole staff for everything for this past year. It's been an incredible ride. Thank you, Adrian (Allison, the Hall's Chief Relationship Officer), for making the trip up and being here."

Peppers also acknowledged members of the Panthers organization. "I want to thank the Panthers, Dave and Nicole (Tepper), Kristi (Coleman), Dan (Morgan). Thank you guys for everything; y'all know I always got your back."

Family support was another key theme in his speech. "I want to thank my family for coming up and making the trip and being here with me as always; thank y'all. I love y'all."

Reflecting on his career, Peppers noted how meaningful it was to receive the honor at Bank of America Stadium. "It feels so good to be back at home and receive this Ring of Excellence right here in this stadium that I started my career in over two decades ago."

He went on to express appreciation for his former teammates, coaches, support staff, and the entire Panthers organization.

Addressing fans directly, Peppers spoke about their importance to the team. "Today, as I accept this ring, I want to send a special thank you to you guys, the fans. Being a fan can be tough at times. Trust me. I know. I'm a fan now too, right?"

Peppers encouraged fans to remain supportive through challenging times. "When things are going well, all is good, but when things aren't going so well, we start looking for somebody to put the blame on. So I just want to encourage you guys to stand behind this team and support them until they get it right."

He emphasized that fans are a constant presence in football: "As I said before, the coaches are going to come and go; the players are going to come and go. But the thing that's gonna remain a constant is you guys, the fans."

Peppers concluded by reiterating his thanks: "Once again, I want to thank all of my teammates. I love you guys... Thanks to all of my coaches, the support staff, and the Panthers."

He ended with a message directed at Panther Nation: "Most of all, I want to thank you guys... So look let's stick together let's support our team and let's Keep Pounding."

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