Julius Peppers hopes to return to Packers next season
At nearly 35 years old, Green Bay Packers linebacker Julius Peppers knows his NFL career is winding down. He isn't ready to call it quits just yet, though, and hopes to return to Green Bay for another season.
"That’s the plan. I hope so," Peppers told Jason Wilde of ESPN Wisconsin. "So far, so good. I feel like the team as a whole has played well, obviously we wanted to make the playoffs and win the division and all those things, and we're on track to do everything we set out to do."
Peppers spent eight seasons with the Carolina Panthers and four with the Chicago Bears before signing a three-year, $26-million deal with the Packers in March. His salary-cap hit for 2014 was only $3.5 million, but that number jumps to $12 million in 2015 and $10.5 million in 2016.
Peppers acknowledged that there's a possibility the Packers may ask him to restructure his contract.
"Maybe. That hasn't even been on my radar, to be honest with you," he said. "It's not really important right now, so I haven't really thought about it."
The Packers could opt to release Peppers, but based on how he's played this season, that seems unlikely. In 16 regular-season games, Peppers recorded 44 tackles, seven sacks – second only to Clay Matthews – and 11 pass breakups.
"I don't know how much football I have left. In reality, none of us know," Peppers said. "Everybody in here could be one snap away from not playing again. So all of us, you never know when your last play is going to be.
"If I can play until I'm 40, then I'll play until I'm 40. Who knows? But whatever happens, I hope it's here."