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That is a myth that Peppers took plays off...
Trgovac: Peppers just makes it look easy - Chicago Bears Blog - ESPN Chicago
"He had it [the reputation] coming out of college," Trgovac said Tuesday at Super Bowl media day. "I always attribute it to [the fact] he's so smooth and natural. I was his position coach his rookie year, and he was rookie of the year by the way, and he only played 12 games. I did every [college] game on him because we had just been hired there in Carolina and Houston already said they were going to take quarterback David Carr, so we had to choose between Julius and Joey Harrington.
"People always talked about him taking plays off and doing this, but he's just so smooth and natural that he does things so easy that people think he's being lazy. But Julius plays hard. That reputation has always followed him, and maybe will always follow him for his whole career. I don't know, I hope not, because he is a really good guy. He commands a lot of attention. What was really impressive for us [in Carolina] was his work ethic in practice. He busts his butt in practice and I don't think the kid ever got enough credit for that."
Panthers coach Fox: 'Pep's a heck of a player' - Chicago Tribune
In Charlotte, N.C., they still talk about the back-to-back plays Julius Peppers made in a game in Denver in 2004.
On third-and-3, he pushed Broncos quarterback Jake Plummer out of bounds on a bootleg after a 2-yard gain. Then on fourth-and-1, he intercepted Plummer's pass and ran it back 97 yards.
That is how Peppers will be remembered by John Fox, the only NFL head coach Peppers has known.
"Pep's a heck of a player," Fox said Monday. "I knew he'd be a guy who would be one of the first to get signed. He hasn't had any injuries. He's clean as a whistle medically. I know he's 30, but he looks just like he did when he was 22."
Fox dispelled the notion that the Bears' new defensive end takes a lot of plays off. He said effort was not a problem for Peppers.
"He trains and works hard," Fox said. "He's a great kid. He's quiet, but he leads by example."
Don't let Peppers' low sack total fool you - NFL - Yahoo Sports
“We did a lot of homework on him,” Smith said, “and everything came back the same.”
Despite his immense NFL success – 81 sacks in his first eight seasons – Peppers was dogged by questions that he wasn’t consistent and that he didn’t fulfill his potential. So Smith wanted to be comfortable that Peppers was going to be a cornerstone defender and not a free-agent disaster.
Smith sought the input of numerous people he trusted, including his friend Ron Meeks, the Carolina Panthers’ defensive coordinator in 2009 and 2010.
“ ‘One of the best guys you will have a chance to coach,’ ” Smith recalled one person telling him. “Everything was positive.”
Peppers was an exception, so the Bears made an exception.
Peppers relishes his fresh start - Chicago Bears Blog - ESPN Chicago
Now that he’s accomplished the change, Peppers wants to finally silence the critics. One NFL coach who worked with Peppers in Carolina, held the same beliefs about a perceived lack of effort from the defensive end.
“When we were evaluating before we got him, I thought that too. Then one of our coaches gave me tape from the [2002] combine,” the coach said. “He said watch this one first; then watch Julius. I watched the first guy, he’s straining through this drill, grunting, making all kinds of faces. Right after that, Peppers comes up and goes through the same drill [the coach imitates an effortless run]. Smooth. You look at your watch, and Peppers just smoked the time [of the player in the first drill]. He just makes it look so easy sometimes it looks like he’s not trying.”
Peppers laughed at the story, before agreeing and adding his spin.
“You know, I think sometimes certain players – and I don’t name names – but certain players have a certain haircut, they have certain sack celebrations. They draw a lot of attention to themselves. That stuff can make it seem like you’re playing hard when really, you’re playing [about the same] as everybody else,” Peppers said. “You’re just bringing that extra attention to yourself. Just because I go about it mild mannered and I don’t do all of that stuff, maybe that’s something to talk about, too. If you hear [the criticism] from a coach that’s a different story. But I have yet to hear that from a coach. People who say it and watch the game don’t really understand my responsibilities on certain plays. If my play is not to run and chase the ball, if my play is to stay backside, then I’ve got to stay backside. I’ve got to be disciplined. I can’t run across the field and chase stuff that’s not mine. I can’t help that stuff comes easy sometimes; easier than somebody else. So I deal with it and hopefully, after this year, people won’t say that anymore.”
Still, critics will justifiably question whether the Bears paid too much for a player who could be entering the crossroads of his career. There’s also the legitimate concern that Peppers -- now that he’s received the big paycheck (he’ll make $40.5 million in the first three years) -- won't be motivated to play hard.
“That’s not my moral fiber, my character,” Peppers said. “I’m not above criticism. I can [take that] constructive[ly]; not saying that I believe it’s true. But if that’s something I have a chance to prove people wrong about, then I welcome that criticism. There’s pressure to perform. Being rewarded by this organization in that way only makes me want to play harder and repay them for what they did for me.
