Hunter Renfrow’s NFL career is back on track — and it’s coming full circle. The former Clemson star and ex-Las Vegas Raiders Pro Bowler is signing with the Carolina Panthers, according to reports from NFL insiders, marking his long-awaited return to football after a year away from the league.
Comeback: Former #Raiders WR Hunter Renfrow is signing with the #Panthers, making his return to the NFL after a year away, per me and @TomPelissero.
The ex-Pro Bowler and Clemson star joins his hometown team, as Carolina adds post-Draft. Deal done by @mgcsports. pic.twitter.com/fqIPl6cmPG
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) April 27, 2025
The move is a homecoming for Renfrow, a South Carolina native, and adds an experienced receiver to the Panthers’ post-draft roster. While Charlotte and Clemson are only about two hours apart, the Panthers have famously never drafted a Clemson Tiger — a strange fact that technically remains true, even with this signing.
Renfrow’s return didn’t come without a few odd detours. On March 28, Renfrow visited the Panthers’ facility, signaling his interest in returning to football in 2025. Part of the confusion around his future came from a South Carolina recycling company announcing earlier this year that Renfrow was working for them, fueling rumors that he had quietly retired from the NFL.
TRENDING: Former #Raiders star wide receiver Hunter Renfrow is now working in the recycling business in South Carolina, the company announced.
Renfrow is still only 29 years old and was a Pro Bowler in 2021. pic.twitter.com/LRYpvvzZAA
— MLFootball (@_MLFootball) March 5, 2025
Renfrow later took to social media to joke about the misunderstanding, making it clear he had not retired and had never even heard the rumor until it started circulating.
We have agreed to terms with Hunter Renfrow
Learn more here: https://t.co/e4mOf2KJTh@Verizon | #KeepPoundingpic.twitter.com/oAmjB9n75M
— Carolina Panthers (@Panthers) April 27, 2025
Renfrow, 29, was a Pro Bowler in 2021, when he caught 103 passes for over 1,000 yards. Now, the two-time national champion will bring veteran leadership and reliable hands to a young Panthers offense looking for consistency.
Carolina’s revamped wide receiver, and running back group now features Tetairoa McMillan, Adam Thielen, Xavier Legette, Jalen Coker, Jimmy Horn Jr., David Moore, Dan Chisena, Hunter Renfrow, Jacolby George, Kobe Hudson, and Muhsin Muhammad III.
It’s a fresh start — and maybe the storybook chapter Renfrow didn’t even know he needed.
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