CHARLOTTE — Julius Peppers had the ability to create those big, visible highlights, and make impacts at key times of the game. He scored six touchdowns in his career, which is evidence of his big-play ability for a guy who rarely touched the ball on purpose.
But that's just 36 points for his team, which doesn't match what he took away from opponents with one of his more underrated skills.
Peppers remains in the top 10 in league history in blocked kicks and extra points, with 13 combined. The 12 field goals and an extra point he blocked meant that 37 of some of the allegedly easier points to score went away for his opponents.
"As you go through Julius's career, he had success early, so he knew he had the power to impact the game at a moment's notice," Panthers long snapper and former teammate JJ Jansen said. "It's a PAT at the end of a game. It's a field goal in the middle of the third quarter that seems innocuous.
"All of a sudden, you look up, he blocks the kick and you win by two, I mean that wins the game."
And even if the immediate result isn't as dramatic as a last-second play, it has an impact that lifts the rest of the team, providing a boost beyond the points.
"I mean, that when you see that, that's that much more motivation to go out next series," former Panthers wide receiver Steve Smith said. "That's what I'm saying. Now, when we look at field goals, we call them automatic, right? There are things in every generation that do not carry over, right?
"And so in every phase there is always something that will not carry over, that makes each generation and each player and how they have put their stamp on the game unique. And he is one of one."
Pepper's ability to get his hands on so many kicks is uncommon, especially at a time in which kicks are approaching automatic. When the league average field goal percentage is in the mid-80s, being able to stop one can create a big swing. And to Smith's point, the game has changed, making the accomplishment that much more impressive.
Hall of Famer Alan Page is recognized as the leader in the category by those who have researched it, blocking 27 in his 16-year career.
But Peppers' 13 ranks 10th on the list, though the list is in some degree of debate. Record-keeping in past years can be, shall we say, sketchy. Even recognized football historians such as John Turney don't know what to do with the alleged 16 by Swede Youngstrom in the 1920s because the documentation is unreliable. There are no Swede Youngstrom clips on YouTube.
But the point stands: Peppers has a lot of them. Among players whose careers began since 1975, only Shaun Rogers (17) has more than Peppers, and the fact the top of the list is made of players from the early days of the sport speaks to its historical significance.
(And in an interesting bit of local trivia, the player immediately ahead of Peppers on the list is 1960s AFL and NFL standout and eventual professional wrestler Wahoo McDaniel, who had 15.)
Nine of Peppers' blocks came during his time with the Panthers, and one came against the Panthers when he blocked Olindo Mare's 34-yard attempt in 2011 while he was with the Bears.
And they also included some of the most memorable games in franchise history, like the Week 2 game at Tampa Bay in 2003, when his fourth-quarter block of Martin Gramatica was one of three blocks that day, in a dramatic 12-9 overtime win against the defending Super Bowl champs which set the stage for the Panthers' own Super Bowl run that year.
But if you get one, that can be good fortune. When you get as many as Peppers did over the course of a career, there's clearly a reason they stack that high.
For former Panthers defensive coordinator Mike Trgovac, the first step was simple.
"One of the things I always tell the defensive lineman is, don't take that play off," Trgovac said. "For him to block that many kicks, he had to be studying the center, studying the holder, studying the kicker, and knowing where the little crease was and where he could fit through it because he could, he could get through a small crease.
"But I think that's a testament to him that — a lot of it's natural ability don't get me wrong — but he also studied it, and not every defensive lineman will do that. Don't take that play off. You never know."
Panthers general manager and former linebacker Dan Morgan confirmed that many defensive players did not, in fact, give their all.
"I would say a lot of guys don't give effort," Morgan said. "That's usually at the end of a long drive, when guys are tired. And I think the guys who block those kicks are usually the guys who are those high-effort guys who are going a million miles an hour all the time.
"For a lot of guys that's a play off. You're kind of catching your breath and, you know they're not going to run a fake. So you can kind of be lazy if you want to."
Clearly, Peppers did not want to.
But beyond effort, there's a very specific technique involved, and not everyone can pull it off, even if they want to.
"You've got to have a good knock-back because it's one, two, get your hands up," teammate Brentson Buckner said. "But with Pep, his being as strong as he was, to get those two steps in the ground because his wing span and his jumping ability, he could always get into the trajectory of the ball. Where most guys got to get a lot of knock-back and only get the line drive kicks, he could elevate and get to the trajectory point and block it. And I thought that was the basketball in him, because he could go with one-hand and elongate himself and he just had a natural ability.
"You can't name me a defensive lineman or a defensive player that had it all, could stop the run, rush the passer, could block kicks, can get interceptions, can turn those interceptions into touchdowns."
Obviously, the physical component is meaningful, but Peppers isn't the only former basketball player or freakish athlete in the NFL.
Former Panthers special teams coach Danny Crossman also spent time with the Lions, so he got to see Calvin "Megatron" Johnson up close. And those two, he said, were in a class of their own athletically, at a size others at their positions usually are not. But he also called them "the hardest working superstars that you're ever going to find in your life."
Clearly, effort is a part of this. But Crossman is an expert in this particular field, so getting him started on Peppers' ability to block so many kicks is like a graduate class in special teams. But if you don't combine it with otherworldly talent, you don't get the same result.
"You can have guys that can do the things from a technique standpoint maybe, but they're not as quick off the ball as Julius," Crossman said. "They don't have the length, the timing. You go back to just looking at his whole career, both in college and playing basketball to be able to time things up as a rebounder, this is the same concept. Trying to get the ball at the highest point and, you know, where understanding the trajectory and where the kicker lines up based on hashmark.
"I mean, Julius, he worked so hard and understood all that stuff."
Crossman said if there was a secret to Peppers' success, it was his ability to "get skinny," which is football parlance for being able to twist your body while also accelerating with power to navigate narrow spaces against people with malicious intent.
"He could find leverage between bodies as a big person," Crossman said, boiling it down to its simplest form.
And while Crossman was there the day in Tampa in 2003 when Peppers got one and Kris Jenkins got two more; he still believes the most impressive Peppers play was one that didn't count.
Against Dallas on Christmas Eve 2005, he had already blocked Billy Cundiff once. In the fourth quarter, he did something that impressed Crossman even more.
Peppers usually rushed from the C-gap (outside the tackle), but this time he went straight up the middle, where there's a lot of traffic.
"Julius came through the A-gap literally unblocked, which is unheard of, that doesn't happen, it's impossible to do," Crossman began. "But again, he got the guy leaning, crosses his face, gets skinny, steps over without getting himself caught up on anybody, which most guys can't do.
"And it just so happened that Ken Lucas came scot-free off the edge, and they sort of ran into each other. Obviously, Julius, being a little bit bigger than Ken, knocked Ken into the kicker. And we got called for roughing the kicker. They got first down and ended up beating us.
"But to be able to do that, it was, it was amazing to this day, one of the most amazing plays I've seen, and, you know, it didn't play in our favor, but it was amazing how he was able to get skinny as a 6-foot-7, 290-pound human being in the A-gap. It even sounds funny when you say it out loud."
Crossman said he was impressed at the level of detail Peppers committed to, allowing him to make such plays with apparent ease. But he compared it to his willingness to line up as a wide receiver on offense on occasion.
"For him it was, hey, there's an opportunity to make a play," Crossman said. "Anything that he could do to make play, he was more than willing to do it. He is special."
The rules changes designed to protect long snappers have decreased the ability for defenses to load up the middle — the shortest distance between two points being a straight line. And as league-wide field goal percentages continue to climb (it was 85.9 percent last year), it's getting harder and harder to do what Peppers did so often.
And beyond all the other elements of it, because he had so much success so early, there's also an intimidation factor.
"The part that we'll never know is how many kicks were missed because everyone was worried about Julius," Jansen said. "They don't get blocked, but they get rushed, they get pulled, and the ball gets hit fat, or whatever, because you're aware of him. Again, you have the blocks, but then you also have all these other things that are happening because of his skills.
"It's a little bit like Victor Wembanyama in the NBA. He gets four or five blocks a game. But how many shots is he altering? How many people are just not shooting because of that? And that's the impact a guy like that has on a field goal play."
It's among the many impacts he had on football games over the years.
It's among the many ways he impacted them.
And it stands out, because not many people can do it in anything resembling the same way, or are interested in it.
"It was just a testament to him that he took the time to do that, and it meant enough for him to do it the way he did," Trgovac said. "And he came through for us in a lot of situations that way."
View 90 photos of the legendary defensive end from his time in a Panthers uniform.
In this April 20, 2002, file photo, Julius Peppers, of North Carolina, holds up a team jersey after being selected by the Carolina Panthers as their first pick, second overall, in the NFL Draft in New York. (AP Photo/Ed Betz, File)
Julius Peppers during a game against the Atlanta Falcons at Ericsson Stadium on September 28, 2003.
Julius Peppers during a game against the Dallas Cowboys at Texas Stadium on November 22, 2003.
Julius Peppers during a game against the Washinton Redskins at Ericsson Stadium on November 15, 2003.
Julius Peppers during a game against the Detroit Lions at Ericsson Stadium on December 20, 2003.
Julius Peppers during a game against the Tennesee Titans at Ericsson Stadium on October 19, 2003.
Julius Peppers and Jevon Kearse during a game against the Tennesee Titans at Ericsson Stadium on October 19, 2003.
Julius Peppers sacks Quincy Carter during a game against the Dallas Cowboys at Texas Stadium on November 22, 2003.
Carolina Panthers head coach John Fox, center, congratulates defensive end Julius Peppers (90) after Peppers' interception in the fourth quarter of the Panthers' 29-10 win over the Dallas Cowboys in the NFC Divisional Playoff at Ericsson Stadium in Charlotte, N.C., Saturday Jan. 3, 2004. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)
Julius Peppers signs autographs when the Panthers returned to Ericsson Stadium after winning the NFC Championship on Jan. 18, 2004.
Julius Peppers alongside defensive line teammates (l-r Shane Burton, Mike Rucker, Julius Peppers, Brentson Buckner, Kris Jenkins, Al Wallace) during a practice leading up to Super Bowl XXXVIII in 2004.
Carolina Panthers' Julius Peppers answers questions during Super Bowl XXXVIII media day, Tuesday, Jan. 27, 2004 at Reliant Stadium in Houston. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Julius Peppers during Super Bowl XXXVIII in 2004.
Julius Peppers alongside Brentson Buckner, Mike Rucker and Al Wallace at Super Bowl XXXVIII in 2004.
Julius Peppers during a game against the Arizona Cardinals at Bank of America Stadium on November 20, 2004.
Julius Peppers during a game against the St. Louis Rams at Bank of America Stadium on December 11, 2004.
Julius Peppers returns an interception for a 46-yard touchdown during a game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Bank of America Stadium on November 28, 2004.
Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick (7) is sacked by Carolina Panthers' Julius Peppers (90) during the fourth quarter of the Panthers' 24-6 win in Charlotte, N.C., Sunday, Dec. 4, 2005.(AP Photo/Chuck Burton)
Julius Peppers sacks Drew Bledsoe during a game against the Dallas Cowboys at Bank of America Stadium on December 23, 2005.
Julius Peppers chases Drew Bledsoe during a game against the Dallas Cowboys at Bank of America Stadium on December 23, 2005.
Julius Peppers embraces head coach John Fox after a game against the Atlanta Falcons at Bank of America Stadium on December 3, 2005.
Julius Peppers during a game against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field on October 16, 2005.
Julius Peppers during a game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Raymond James Stadium on November 5, 2005.
Julius Peppers lines up at wide receiver during a game against the Green Bay Packers at Bank of America Stadium on October 3, 2005.
Julius Peppers during a game against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field on November 20, 2005.
Julius Peppers during a game against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field on January 19, 2006.
Julius Peppers during a game against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field on January 15, 2006.
Julius Peppers during a game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Bank of America Stadium on November 12, 2006.
Julius Peppers during a game against the New Orleans Saints at Bank of America Stadium on October 30, 2006.
Julius Peppers pressures Brett Favre during a game against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field on Sunday, November 18, 2007.
Julius Peppers and Brett Favre after a game against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field on Sunday, November 18, 2007.
Julius Peppers during a game against the Arizona Cardinals at University of Pheonix Stadium on Sunday, October 14, 2007.
Julius Peppers, Mike Rucker, Steve Smith and John Kasay prior to a game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at Jacksonville Municipal Stadium on Sunday, December 9, 2007.
Julius Peppers during a game against the San Francisco 49ers at Bank of America Stadium on Sunday, December 2, 2007.
Julius Peppers celebrates with Chris Gamble during a game against the San Diego Chargers at Qualcomm Stadium on Sunday, September 7, 2008.
Julius Peppers tackles LaDainian Tomlinson during a game against the San Diego Chargers at Qualcomm Stadium on Sunday, September 7, 2008.
Julius Peppers and Jared Allen during a game against the Minnesota Vikings at Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome on Sunday, September 21, 2008.
Julius Peppers pressures Matt Ryan during a game against the Atlanta Falcons at Bank of America Stadium on Sunday, September 28, 2008.
Julius Peppers pressures Kurt Warner during a game against the Arizona Cardinals at Bank of America Stadium on Sunday, October 26, 2008.
Carolina Panthers' Julius Peppers (90) stands over Detroit Lions quarterback Daunte Culpepper (11) after sacking him and causing a fumble during the second half of the Panthers' 31-22 win in Charlotte, N.C., Sunday, Nov. 16, 2008. (AP Photo/Chuck Burton)
Julius Peppers and Charles Johnson during a game against the Chicago Bears at Bank of America Stadium on Sunday, September 14, 2008.
Julius Peppers during a game against the New Orleans Saints at Bank of America Stadium on Sunday, October 19, 2008.
Julius Peppers during a game against the Kansas City Chiefs at Bank of America Stadium on Sunday, October 5, 2008.
Julius Peppers sacks Aaron Rodgers during a game against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field on Sunday, November 30, 2008.
Julius Peppers and Charles Johnson prior to a game against the New Orleans Saints at the Superdome on Sunday, December 28, 2008.
Julius Peppers sacks Drew Brees during a game against the New Orleans Saints at the Superdome on Sunday, December 28, 2008.
Julius Peppers during a game against the Philadelphia Eagles at Bank of America Stadium on Sunday, September 13, 2009.
Julius Peppers returns an interception for a touchdown during a game against the Arizona Cardinals at University of Phoenix Stadium on Sunday, November 1, 2009.
Julius Peppers during a game against the Arizona Cardinals at University of Phoenix Stadium on Sunday, November 1, 2009.
Julius Peppers and Ryan Kalil during a game against the Philadelphia Eagles at Bank of America Stadium on Sunday, September 13, 2009.
Julius Peppers prior to a game against the Buffalo Bills at Bank of America Stadium on Sunday, October 25, 2009.
Julius Peppers sacks Eli Manning during a game against the New York Giants at Giants Stadium on Sunday, December 27, 2009.
Julius Peppers during a game against the New York Giants at Giants Stadium on Sunday, December 27, 2009.
Julius Peppers during a game against the New Orleans Saints at Bank of America Stadium on Sunday, January 3, 2010.
Julius Peppers and head coach Ron Rivera in Peppers' first game after returning to the Panthers at San Francisco on Sunday, September 10, 2017, at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, CA.
The Carolina Panthers play against the San Francisco 49ers during week one of the regular season on Sunday, September 10, 2017, at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, CA.
Julius Peppers runs out of the tunnel during his first game back at Bank of America Stadium in Week 2 against Buffalo in 2017.
Carolina Panther celebrates a sack against the Buffalo Bills in his first game as a Panther back at Bank of American Stadium on Sunday, September 17, 2017 in Charlotte, N.C.
Julius Peppers strip-sacks Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz at Bank of American Stadium on Thursday, October 12, 2017 in Charlotte, N.C.
Julius Peppers embraces teammate Thomas Davis at a game in Tampa Bay in 2017.
Julius Peppers sacks Tom Brady in a game at New England in 2017.
Julius Peppers sacks Josh McCown in a game at the New York Jets in 2017.
Julius Peppers and teammate Luke Kuechly.
Julius Peppers bangs the Keep Pounding Drum before a game against Green Bay Packers at Bank of America Stadium on Sunday, December 17, 2017.
Carolina Panthers against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during a game at Bank of American Stadium on Sunday, December 24, 2017 in Charlotte, NC. (Photo by Melissa Melvin-Rodriguez)
Julius Peppers sacks Jameis Winston against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during a game at Bank of American Stadium on Sunday, December 24, 2017 in Charlotte, NC. (Photo by Melissa Melvin-Rodriguez)
Julius Peppers waves to the crowd against Dallas Cowboys at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina on Sunday, September 9, 2018.
Julius Peppers tackles Saquon Barkley during the game against the Giants on Sunday, Oct. 7, 2018.
Julius Peppers walks off the field during the game against the Giants on Sun., Oct. 7, 2018.
Julius Peppers strip-sacks Alex Smith in a game against Washington in 2018.
Cam Newton hugs Julius Peppers during a game against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field on Sunday, October 21, 2018.
Julius Peppers in the tunnel before player introductions during a week 8 game against the Baltimore Ravens at Bank of America Stadium on Sunday, October 28, 2018.
Julius Peppers pressures Joe Flacco during a week 8 game against the Baltimore Ravens at Bank of America Stadium on Sunday, October 28, 2018.
Julius Peppers comforts families of fallen soldiers being recognized during a game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Bank of America Stadium on Sunday, Nov 4, 2018.
Julius Peppers against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Bank of America Stadium on Sunday, Nov 4, 2018.
Julius Peppers and Luke Kuechly against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Bank of America Stadium on Sunday, Nov 4, 2018.
Julius Peppers, Mike Adams, Captain Munnerlyn and Luke Kuechly celebrate a defensive stop against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Heinz Field on Thursday, November 8, 2018.
Julius Peppers in the locker room during pregame against the Buccaneers at Raymond James Stadium on Sunday, December 2, 2018.
Julius Peppers walks off the field after a game against the Saints on Monday Night Football on Monday, December 17, 2018.
Julius Peppers is introduced for the last time at Bank of America Stadium prior to a game against Atlanta on Dec. 23, 2018. (Photo by Kent Smith)
Julius Peppers was an NFL Walter Payton Man of the Year nominee in 2018. (Photo by Kent Smith)
Thomas Davis and Julius Peppers talk on the sidelines against the New Orleans Saints at Mercedes-Benz Superdome on Sunday, December 30, 2018.
Julius Peppers at the game against the Saints on Sunday, Dec. 30, 2018.
Julius Peppers during the game against the Saints on Sunday, Dec. 30, 2018.
Julius Peppers leaves the field for the last time against the Saints on Sunday, Dec. 30, 2018.
