08-14-2007, 04:38 PM
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#26 (permalink)
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Looking to be drafted
Join Date: Sep 2006
Posts: 43
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Peppers speaks
Quote:
Julius Peppers spoke publicly Monday for the first time since owner Jerry Richardson asked him to be a leader last week, but don't look for the Panthers defensive end to suddenly become a media darling.
"I'm fine with it," Peppers said. "I've been a leader my whole time here, going out working hard every day."
Peppers had been silent since last Tuesday when Richardson said it was his time and his team during a retirement news conference for safety Mike Minter. Richardson's statement drew headlines, but Peppers said he didn't view the owner's words as a challenge.
"I didn't really think it was a big deal," Peppers said. "I think it got kind of blown up a little bit. I don't think he meant to say, `You're the leader of this team, just one guy's the leader.' We've got other leaders on the team. We've got Jake (Delhomme), Steve (Smith) and a lot of other cats on the team that can step up. I really don't think it's fair for people to place that burden on me by myself."
Peppers said he interpreted Richardson's statement another way.
"Just step up, be one of those guys," Peppers said. "Not just `the guy,' but one of the guys."
Richardson was not available Monday to comment on his statement.
His words came as something of a surprise to the media and fans because Peppers long has been one of the more quiet Panthers.
He doesn't give a lot of interviews and prefers to stay out of the public eye, but teammates said they already view him as a leader in a quiet way.
"You've got to understand, he grew up in the state, played high school ball in the state, played (college) football and basketball in the state and now you're in the NFL in your state," defensive end Mike Rucker said. "That's a lot going on. I just think that he's more reserved. He doesn't necessarily always want to be that guy that's out front.
"A lot of times you see guys wanting the limelight, wanting the cameras and wanting the microphones, and he's not that guy. He doesn't need all of that to make him tick. I think that's what's special about him. You don't find too many people that are like that. They want to be out front, and he leads in a different way."
Rucker said Peppers sometimes is more vocal in the locker room and on the field than he is with the media.
"When he does talk, then it kind of hits you a little bit more," Rucker said.
Peppers said Richardson's statement won't make him seek the spotlight more often.
"There's been guys in the past here (that) it kind of seemed like (the media was) drawn to those type of guys who talk a lot," Peppers said. "But really, in the locker room, some of those guys didn't have a lot of respect. You had guys who talk, but really don't back it up. I just let my actions speak for me."
He did admit the loss of Minter leaves a leadership void.
"We need guys to step up and be a little more vocal," Peppers said. "That doesn't mean coming out and talking to you guys. Not that I have a problem with that, but that's not what that means.
"It means maybe pulling a young guy to the side and encouraging him to study a little more or watching a little more film. I think that's being a leader."
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