Back in the zone: Clemson legend Hunter Renfrow catches TD for Panthers

Clemson great Hunter Renfrow caught his first NFL touchdown of the season and his first score since January 7, 2023. 

Now playing for the Carolina Panthers, the veteran receiver hauled in a 4-yard pass from quarterback Bryce Young in the third quarter of Sunday’s game at Arizona. The route was similar to the one Renfrow ran when he caught the game-winning TD from Deshaun Watson against Alabama in the 2016 national championship game. 

The Panthers’ first touchdown of the day cut the Cardinals’ lead to 27-9 after the two-point conversion attempt failed. Still, it was a big moment for Renfrow and Clemson fans. 

On Aug. 30, Renfrow was re-signed by the Panthers after they cut him during training camp. The team kept in touch with Renfrow, who was slowed by a hamstring injury in camp. He was called to rejoin the team after Carolina traded Adam Thielen to the Minnesota Vikings and Jalen Coker suffered an injury, giving Renfrow a chance to revitalize his career. 

However, the 29-year-old missed phone calls when Panthers GM Dan Morgan was trying to get hold of Renfrow to bring him back.   

"I guess I had like 10 missed phone calls from Dan, Dave (Canales), my agent, and they're all just ignored. My daughter was watching Bluey or something, she ignored all of them," Renfrow said.

He missed all of 2024 with a medical condition that wouldn’t allow him to compete. As a free agent, he joined the Panthers in April. He was activated for the Week 1 game and made two catches for 11 yards against Jacksonville, but he was held out of the end zone. 

Renfrow didn’t score a touchdown in his final season with the Las Vegas Raiders, so he ended a drought that went back to the 2022-2023 season. It was Renfrow’s 18th career touchdown reception in his sixth year in the NFL.