Julius Peppers Hall of Fame Coverage

In early 2024, Julius Peppers was voted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame as a first-ballot inductee—an enormous milestone for both him and the Carolina Panthers. As the only player drafted by the organization to earn this honor, the moment carried significant weight for the franchise and its fans.

Having previously worked with Julius on his Hall of Honor induction in 2023, I was eager to collaborate with him again on this historic achievement. Fortunately, I was able to contribute across multiple aspects of the coverage—creating motion graphics, filming and producing documentary-style content, and ultimately writing, producing, and editing a full feature on his Hall of Fame induction. It was an incredible opportunity to help tell the story of one of the greatest players to ever wear a Panthers uniform.

Here’s Julius making me look like a child at the HOF Parade and the HOF Game

After Pep was announced as a Hall of Famer, our team set out to make a splash with the Hall of Fame design. To the left is a motion graphic I created in After Effects, building on an original design from our graphic team.

I had a blast putting this one together—the dynamic camera whip pans from career moment to career moment, paired with subtle sound design elements, help pull the viewer into each stop along the way. The goal was to roadmap his journey through the Carolinas and the Panthers, all within a fast-paced, social-media-friendly format. Ideally, this would grab a fan’s attention mid-scroll on Instagram or Twitter, making them stop and relive Peppers' legendary career.

The full feature I made on Julius Peppers’ induction to Canton was such a fun creative challenge—part heartfelt tribute, part behind-the-scenes look, and part playful storytelling. I wanted this to feel different, to mix humor with emotion, to really give fans a sense of what this moment meant—not just to Julius, but to football itself.

I filmed it with Alex Grant, co-wrote it with Darin Gantt, and handled the edit and graphics myself. Going into the weekend, I knew I wanted to do a voice-over-driven piece, but I wasn’t sure of the exact angle. Then, after spending time in Canton and hearing Darin talk about the Hall of Fame with such reverence—half-joking that he’d retire there, calling it “Football Heaven”—it hit me. That was the narrative thread.

Darin became the perfect guide for this story, his voice and perspective tying everything together. The piece follows Julius through the events of his induction weekend, showing the process, the history, and the weight of the moment—but at its core, it’s about how Peppers always belonged here. From the moment he stepped onto an NFL field, this was where he was meant to end up.

Blending different elements—from fun, candid moments to the deeper, more emotional beats—was what made this piece so special to create. Canton is now Julius Peppers’ forever home, and I wanted this feature to feel like it truly belonged there, too.

Before Julius Peppers made his way to Canton to place his bust in the Hall of Fame, he first had to take the stage at NFL Honors—where he was officially announced to the public as a 2024 inductee. The Panthers sent a small team to cover the event, and I was there to document every moment, capturing as much as possible and getting a mic on him whenever I could.

This video is a "day in the life" style piece, following Peppers throughout NFL Honors weekend at Super Bowl LVIII. It features intimate, fly-on-the-wall moments—like Julius and his family getting ready for the big night, as he hilariously struggles to get his two young boys into their suits. It also takes fans behind the scenes as he gets his head measured for his Hall of Fame bust, offering a rare look at that process. On top of that, there are some great interactions from a morning mixer, where Peppers chats with fellow Hall of Famers, including Tampa Bay legend Warren Sapp.

This was one of those pieces where the access made all the difference—giving fans a truly personal look at a milestone moment in Julius’ career.