Julius Peppers gets his first look at his Pro Football Hall of Fame Gold Jacket
![Feb 8, 2024; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Julius Peppers during the NFL Hall of Fame Class of 2024 press conference at Resorts World Theatre. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports Feb 8, 2024; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Julius Peppers during the NFL Hall of Fame Class of 2024 press conference at Resorts World Theatre. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,w_7392,h_4158,x_0,y_178/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/ImagnImages/mmsport/206/01j2j2f27x9qsbcw80ge.jpg)
The Pro Football Hall of Fame ceremony for the Class of 2024 is quickly approaching, as it's starting to become more of a reality for UNC football legend Julius Peppers.
Ahead of the August 3 induction, Peppers got his first look at his Gold Jacket, which was created by the Haggar Clothing Company.
His reaction is one you'll definitely want to see, as the Pro Football Hall of Fame social media accounts made it possible for us to view with the video below:
Hall of Famer No. 377 has received his box! Julius Peppers got to see his Gold Jacket created by @HaggarCo for the first time. #PFHOF24 pic.twitter.com/JZm6Ai2siH
— Pro Football Hall of Fame (@ProFootballHOF) July 11, 2024
You can sense the joy from Peppers as he opened the box to reveal his gold jacket, as he worked tremendously hard to put himself among the greatest to ever strap on the pads. He's also one of the great UNC football players ever, as he'll become just the third Tar Heel ever to earn a spot in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Before his NFL career even got started, Peppers made a name for himself as a dominant force for the UNC football program. Peppers played for the Tar Heels from 1999-2001, as he was a unanimous first-team All-American during the 2021 season. He won the Chuck Bednarik Award for the nation's top defensive player and the Rotary Lombardi Award, which at the time was given to the nation's top interior lineman. He finished his college career with 177 tackles, 30.5 sacks, 53 TFL, five INTs and five forced fumbles.
After dominating in Chapel Hill, Peppers took his talent to the pros, where he went on to be the second overall pick in the 2002 NFL Draft. He played 17 seasons (mainly for the Carolina Panthers, fittingly), as he earned 9 Pro Bowl selections, three first-team All-Pro honors, and three second-team All-Pro honors. Over his career, Peppers tallied 719 tackles, 159.5 sacks, 175 TFL, 52 forced fumbles, 21 fumble recoveries and 11 INTs. His 159.5 sacks are the fourth since sacks became an official stat in 1982.
The special moment is just a few weeks away, as Julius Peppers will be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame as a member of the Class of 2024. The unveiling of his gold jacket simply adds to the anticipation for August 3 in Canton, Ohio.
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