The Carolina Panthers have added a seasoned veteran to their wide receiver corps, signing Hunter Renfrow to a one-year contract on April 27, 2025, just three days after selecting Arizona wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan with the No. 8 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, as reported by NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport. Renfrow’s signing comes after a year-long absence from the NFL in 2024, a hiatus caused by a serious health issue—ulcerative colitis—that he recently detailed in an emotional interview with Darin Gantt of the Panthers’ team website.
Renfrow, a former Pro Bowl wideout, revealed the toll that ulcerative colitis, an inflammatory bowel disease affecting the colon and rectum, took on his body in 2024. “It kicked my butt pretty good,” Renfrow told Gantt on April 28, 2025. “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.” The 29-year-old, who stands at 5-foot-10, typically played at around 185 pounds during his time with the Las Vegas Raiders, meaning he lost nearly 20% of his body weight at his lowest point. He added, “It’s just trying to get back, trying to get healthy, trying to do something I love. 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’s health struggles explain why he went unsigned in 2024 after being released by the Raiders in March of that year, a move that saved the team $8.2 million in cap space, per OverTheCap. His absence was surprising given his track record—most notably a 2021 Pro Bowl season where he caught 103 passes for 1,038 yards and 9 touchdowns, helping the Raiders to a 10-7 record and a playoff berth, their second since 2003, per Pro Football Reference. The Raiders fell to the Cincinnati Bengals 26-19 in the Wild Card Round, with Renfrow catching 8 passes for 58 yards in the loss. Following that breakout year, Renfrow signed a two-year, $32 million extension with Las Vegas in 2022, but his production dipped in his final two seasons with the team, totaling 61 catches for 585 yards in 2022 and 2023 combined as the Raiders cycled through quarterbacks, per ESPN.
Over his five seasons with the Raiders (2019-2023), Renfrow amassed 269 receptions for 2,884 yards and 17 touchdowns, consistently surpassing 40 catches and 600 yards in each of his first three years, per Pro Football Reference. A fifth-round pick out of Clemson in 2019, Renfrow was part of two national championship teams (2016, 2018), most notably catching the game-winning touchdown with one second remaining against Alabama in the 2016 title game, a 35-31 victory, per Clemson Athletics. His reliability as a slot receiver—82% of his snaps came from the slot in 2021, per Pro Football Focus—made him a valuable asset, but his health setback in 2024 derailed his career temporarily.
Now, Renfrow joins a Panthers team looking to revitalize its passing attack, which ranked 30th in the NFL in 2024 with 187.5 passing yards per game, per ESPN. The Panthers have struggled at wide receiver since trading D.J. Moore to the Chicago Bears in 2023 as part of the deal to move up for quarterback Bryce Young, per NFL.com’s trade tracker. Renfrow’s signing, alongside the addition of McMillan—who caught 88 passes for 1,402 yards and 8 touchdowns at Arizona in 2024, per ESPN—adds much-needed depth to a receiving corps that includes veterans Adam Thielen (67 catches, 694 yards in 2024) and young players like Xavier Legette and Jalen Coker, per Panthers.com. McMillan, a 6-foot-5 target with a 4.42-second 40-yard dash, projects as a potential WR1, while Renfrow’s experience and sure hands—he dropped just 2 passes on 128 targets in 2021, per Pro Football Focus—offer Young a reliable underneath option.
Panthers GM Dan Morgan, speaking to The Charlotte Observer’s Mike Kaye on April 29, 2025, said, “Hunter’s been through a lot, but we believe in his ability to contribute. He’s a savvy route-runner, and his story of resilience fits what we’re building here.” Head coach Dave Canales added, “We’re excited to get Hunter back on the field. He’s a professional who knows how to get open, and that’s going to help Bryce take the next step,” per Panthers.com. Young, entering his third season after a 2024 campaign where he threw for 2,847 yards, 14 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions, per ESPN, will benefit from the added weapons as the Panthers aim to improve on their 5-12 record.
Renfrow’s return to the NFL after a year-long battle with ulcerative colitis is a testament to his determination, and his presence in Carolina signals a fresh start for both him and the Panthers’ offense. As the team prepares for OTAs in May 2025, Renfrow’s health and veteran leadership could prove pivotal in turning around a passing game that has struggled in recent years, offering hope to a franchise eager to take a step forward in the NFC South.
