CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) -- Julius Peppers describes his offseason departure from Carolina as "sour," claiming the Panthers tried to paint him in a bad light after deciding not to re-sign him.
In a conference call with reporters ahead of Peppers' return to Charlotte on Sunday with the Chicago Bears, Peppers on Wednesday said he understood that the Panthers decided to "do away with anybody who is making a significant amount of money."
But the franchise's all-time sacks leader says the Panthers tried to make it look like he wanted out of Carolina, and claims the team never called him directly with the news they were going to let him leave in free agency. Peppers says "they couldn't even give me that."
Peppers then signed a six-year, $91.5 million deal with the Bears.
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