NFC North

Ex-Panthers & Packers DE Julius Peppers, 39, Retires After 266 Games

For years, Julius Peppers did the unthinkable. He led the locker room, beat up offensive lines and never missed a beat. In fact, he played 266 out of 272 possible games in his career.Julius Peppers Retires After 17 SeasonsBorn and raised in the Carolinas, he was drafted No. 2 overall out of the University of North Carolina by the Carolina Panthers. He’d win the Defensive Rookie of the Year Award in 2002 and quickly morph into a monster. By his sophomore season in 2003, the expansion team had reached the Super Bowl and almost stopped the New England Patriots dynasty before it began.He stayed wi…