Former Las Vegas Raiders Pro Bowl wide receiver Hunter Renfrow spent 2024 out of football dealing with a medical challenge after being diagnosed with ulcerative colitis, an autoimmune condition that left him with weight loss, fatigue and fevers.
"It kicked my butt pretty good," Renfrow told the Carolina Panthers' team website after signing with the club over the weekend. "Last year, I fluctuated in weight; I went down to 150 pounds. I had like seven straight days of 103-degree fevers. It's tough to play when you're not feeling great."
Renfrow returns to the gridiron this offseason. The former Raiders slot receiver said he's currently at 187 pounds and hopes to play for Carolina at 185.
"It's just trying to get back, trying to get healthy, trying to do something I love," Renfrow said. "I enjoyed other parts of life. We had our second daughter, so enjoying that and just wanting to make sure if I'm going to come back and give my time and attention to something that I was going to be all in on it."
Renfrow was a name you'd see pop up randomly last year when WR-needy teams were discussed. Now we know why that chatter never went anywhere.
The Clemson product joins a Panthers wideout room that includes 2025 first-rounder Tetairoa McMillan, 2024 first-rounder Xavier Legette, Adam Thielen, Jalen Coker 2025 sixth-rounder Jimmy Horn Jr., veteran David Moore and others.
Renfrow, who generated 269 catches for 2,884 yards and 17 TDs in five seasons with the Raiders, will have to battle to make the roster.
"It's a weird feeling. It makes you grateful for the times that you do feel good," Renfrow said. "It makes you grateful for the opportunities that you've had, and when you feel like you've been blessed with some skill to go out there and perform, it makes you not want to waste the opportunity that you have. And that was one of the reasons why I wanted to come back and play."
