Hunter Renfrow has signed a one-year deal with the Carolina Panthers after recovering from a serious battle with ulcerative colitis that saw his weight drop to 150 pounds last year. The 29-year-old wide receiver was released by the Las Vegas Raiders in March 2024 following two disappointing seasons.
Renfrow began experiencing health issues following his Pro Bowl 2021 season when he recorded career-highs with 103 catches for 1,038 yards and nine touchdowns. His production plummeted to just 36 catches in 2022 and 25 receptions in 2023.
\"I felt so bad those two years, and I felt like I let my teammates down so much,\" Renfrow said Thursday. \"Because I had expectations. I just signed a new contract [in 2022]. I had a new coaching staff that I was going to be perfect for. And I was just a dud.\"
The former Clemson star, best known for catching the game-winning touchdown in the 2016 national championship game, suffered through seven consecutive days of 103-degree fevers during his illness. He required multiple emergency room visits and tibial infusions before beginning to recover in July last year.
Recovery and Return
Renfrow has now returned to 185 pounds, his playing weight before the illness. He began intensifying his workouts in January, visiting Clemson twice weekly to train with staff.
\"Now I\'m here,\" said Renfrow, who grew up a Panthers fan in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. \"And I\'m excited about playing football again.\"
He joins a receiving corps that includes 2025 first-round pick Tetairoa McMillan, 2024 first-rounder Xavier Legette, veteran Adam Thielen, and sixth-round selection Jimmy Horn Jr.
\"Man, I kind of want to go out a different way if I\'m going to go out,\" Renfrow explained about his decision to return to football rather than transition to business opportunities.