CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Hunter Renfrow’s telephone was blowing up late final week whereas the soon-to-be-again Carolina Panthers large receiver was selecting up a trailer at a recycling enterprise he helps run together with his uncle in Woodruff, South Carolina.
Solely he did not realize it.
Blame “Bluey.”
Sure, the animated youngsters’s tv collection performed a task in Renfrow’s return to the Panthers, lower than every week after he was launched.
The 2021 Professional Bowler made the error of leaving his telephone in his automobile together with his two younger daughters throughout the trailer cease. Throughout the half-hour he talked to others on the enterprise, there have been 10 missed calls from Carolina head coach Dave Canales, common supervisor Dan Morgan and his agent.
His daughters have been too busy watching “Bluey” to reply.
“[The calls] have been all simply ignored,” Renfrow mentioned.
Panthers WR Hunter Renfrow explains his path jack to the workforce. pic.twitter.com/owMhFc9ood
— David Newton (@DNewtonespn) September 1, 2025
Simply because the adventures of the Blue Heeler pet within the collection have develop into common amongst preschool youngsters, Renfrow’s adventures within the NFL have develop into common amongst sports activities followers.
The 2019 fifth-round decide by the Las Vegas Raiders out of Clemson went from a Professional Bowler to out of the league in 2024 whereas recovering from ulcerative colitis, an autoimmune illness that impacted his well being to the purpose that the Raiders launched him.
He started his comeback this previous offseason with the Panthers, the one workforce he wished to play for as a result of he grew up watching them as a local of neighboring state South Carolina.
The comeback took a twist final Tuesday when Carolina launched the 29-year-old receiver. Canales mentioned on the time he did not consider Renfrow was prepared for the 53-man roster, however made it clear he and the group wished the veteran again on the follow squad.
Then Carolina traded 35-year-old receiver Adam Thielen, whose traits carefully resemble Renfrow’s, to the Minnesota Vikings. Thielen’s alternative, Jalen Coker, suffered a quad damage on Thursday that landed him on injured reserve, which means he’ll miss not less than the primary 4 video games.
Bringing Renfrow again made sense as a result of he knew the system.
“It has been a whirlwind,” mentioned Renfrow, who agreed to return on a one-year deal on Saturday.
Renfrow likened the state of affairs to the primary alternative he bought to show himself at Clemson in 2015 as a walk-on earlier than occurring to assist the Tigers win two nationwide championships.
“The one motive I bought to play at Clemson was as a result of Mike Williams broke his neck,” he recalled of Williams fracturing his neck when he bumped into the bottom of the purpose submit towards Wofford. “Which labored out high-quality for him as a result of he went within the first spherical the subsequent 12 months.”
Renfrow went on to gather 186 catches, the fifth most in class historical past.
He hopes his story with Carolina ends simply as nicely. He already has a fairly great place within the locker room subsequent to beginning quarterback Bryce Younger, who reached out to assist persuade Renfrow to return.
“He instructed me about his deal final 12 months and a few issues that occurred,” mentioned Renfrow, reminding Younger was benched after an 0-2 begin. “He had quite a lot of perseverance tales to share.”
None concerned “Bluey.”
