Legendary former Clemson wide receiver Hunter Renfrow has been released by the Carolina Panthers heading into Saturday’s playoff game against the Los Angeles Rams, the Panthers announced Tuesday.
Renfrow originally signed with the Panthers this past April, attempting an NFL comeback after missing the entire 2024 season while dealing with health challenges stemming from a diagnosis of the autoimmune condition ulcerative colitis.
After releasing Renfrow ahead of the NFL roster cutdown deadline in late August, despite an impressive training camp, the Panthers re-signed him shortly thereafter. He played in Carolina’s first six games this season but has been inactive since.
Renfrow went off with seven catches for 48 yards and two touchdowns in Carolina’s loss to the Arizona Cardinals on Sept. 14. He later came up with a clutch catch on fourth down to help set up the Panthers’ game-winning field goal against the Dallas Cowboys on Oct. 12.
Overall, Renfrow tallied 15 catches for 89 yards and two scores in his six games with Carolina.
Prior to sitting out the 2024 season, Renfrow played five seasons with the Raiders from 2019-23, tallying 269 receptions for 2,884 yards and 17 touchdowns over that span before being released by the Raiders in March 2024. He finished the 2023 season with just 25 catches for 255 yards, but dealt with an injury most of the season.
After being selected in the fifth round by the Raiders in the 2019 NFL Draft, Renfrow turned in his best season two years later, catching 103 balls for 1,038 yards and nine touchdowns in 2021. He was a Pro Bowl selection that season.
Renfrow spent five years at Clemson, originally joining the team as a walk-on in 2014. He won two national titles (2016 and 2018) during his tenure with the Tigers and also took home the Burlsworth Award in 2018, which is given out to college football’s most outstanding player to begin his career as a walk-on. He also posted College Football Playoff records with 37 receptions and four touchdowns in seven career CFP games.
Renfrow left Clemson credited with 186 receptions for 2,133 yards with 15 touchdowns.
–Photo courtesy of Matt Kartozian-Imagn Images