The Clemson Tigers’ culture redefines the term strength. The campus heralds the ‘All In’ slogan, and it’s something that Dabo Swinney and Co. take seriously. The bonds that Swinney builds with players continue even after they leave college football. Swinney turned up to support former Clemson star, who has fought back like a Tiger to keep his NFL dreams alive. Swinney also had the perfect parallel for this player’s might: Superman.
Hunter Renfrow is a hero in the Tigers’ locker room. The star receiver joined as a walk-on and left Clemson with two National Championship wins. 186 catches, 2,133 yards, and 15 TDs from Clemson set him up to be a star in the NFL as well. He had a breakout season with the Raiders in 2021 and also earned All-Pro Bowl honors. However, Renfrow’s NFL career suddenly hit a snag in 2024, being forced to leave the league after getting a diagnosis of a life-threatening condition. Nevertheless, the Tiger in Renfrow helped him push through it to come back to the NFL.
He will mark his return with the Carolina Panthers and has already begun his practice camp. But on the sidelines, he saw a familiar friend and mentor–Dabo Swinney. “I’m happy he’s back out there, and if he stays healthy, he will do what Hunter Renfrow does,” the HC told the press. He also reckoned that once the WR suits up and dons his helmet, he “becomes Superman.” Last year, Renfrow dropped by Clemson too, as he planned the future of his NFL career, after being released by the Raiders. He signed a one-year contract with the Panthers and will be in a room full of youngsters. Expected to be a part of QB Bryce Young’s receiver corps, Renfrow is getting one more chance to build a great NFL legacy.
Look who is at #Panthers camp. #Clemson coach Dabo Swinney. He is here for former wide receiver Hunter Renfrow, who is making a comeback. Swinney says Renfrow looks like a normal guy in street clothes and then he puts a helmet on and ‘’becomes Superman.’’ Swinney says he beat… pic.twitter.com/Ei01YLU9Ce
— David Newton (@DNewtonespn) July 28, 2025
Swinney said that a lot of teams were trying to sign him, but he chose a franchise that came from a familiar region. “He took this last year, and he really got healthy and just got back to work,” the HC told the press. “I think he was wise in not making a final decision until he could get himself in a better state of mind, like health-wise, where he could really feel like he could be confident in making a decision, [because] he had teams trying to sign him last year. And he just said, ‘No, I’m not gonna do it.’ And so he got well,” he added. It is almost a semi-homecoming moment for Renfrow, who comes back to the Carolina region, where he became a college football star.
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