Panthers OC explains how Hunter Renfrow has handled being among weekly inactives
Hunter Renfrow hasn’t geared up for a game in well over a month. He’s been a healthy scratch for five consecutive games, and that streak doesn’t seem to have an end in sight.
But according to Panthers offensive coordinator Brad Idzik, Renfrow has taken his benching in stride, and he is still a valuable member of the Carolina wide receivers room.
“He’s very self-aware,” Idzik said. “He knows how the league works, and he’s great at communicating. As long as you communicate with those guys on the front end, like we did with Hunter — as we kind of cycled through different lineups at the receiver position — he was great with it. He handled it great. He attacks every practice like he’s up on game day.”
“They have a fun time having him on scout team,” Idzik added with a smile. “I know he’s continuing to stress the defense a little bit in that regard. Me and him have great conversations every day. Just (talking about) route concepts: ‘Hey, here’s a little thing that I think would be great for (rookie wideout Tetairoa McMillan).’ ... He’s such a selfless player that he looks at the game plan like a coach would, and say, ‘OK, I watched the tape, too. I think there are cool things that you could add.’ And we’re receptive to all of it.”
A diagnosis, then an opportunity with the Panthers
Renfrow spent last season out of the league while he was dealing with an ulcerative colitis diagnosis. He almost retired for good, but the former Las Vegas Raiders playmaker decided to make an NFL comeback when he got an opportunity with the Panthers in April.
The former Clemson Tigers standout got off to an excellent start in Charlotte during the first week of training camp. He was shaking defenders, getting open with ease and showing off his dependable hands.
But a hamstring injury during the second week of camp derailed his progress. He missed the bulk of camp and the preseason. He was ultimately released during the cut deadline in August, but the Panthers quickly brought him back following the trade of Adam Thielen to Minnesota.
Renfrow took over the slot duties in Week 1 with Thielen gearing up with the Vikings and Jalen Coker dealing with a quad injury. Through the first six games of the season, he caught 15 passes for 89 yards and two touchdowns.
However, when Coker returned to the lineup in Week 7 — even with David Moore (elbow) sidelined on injured reserve — Renfrow became a weekly inactive. Averaging just 5.9 yards per catch probably didn’t help Renfrow’s case, as the Panthers decided to lean into their youth movement at the position with first-round picks, McMillan and Xavier Legette, leading the charge.
Still, Renfrow has made an impact behind the scenes.
“That’s what we want to cultivate here,” Idzik said. “Just a dialogue between coaches and players, and players and players, and really just the whole building buy into ‘whatever it takes to win.’ And Hunter has been a huge part of that, continuing to help those young guys progress. And support (wide receivers coach Rob Moore) in any way he needs to get the message across on game week.”
Why Hunter Renfrow wanted to play for Carolina
Renfrow wanted to join the Panthers because he is from Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, and he has a home nearby.
He and his wife welcomed a baby girl in September. So, while he’s shown the ability to coach up his younger teammates, he’s probably going to need some time before he considers joining a coaching staff.
“He just had a new baby, so I think he would probably put that on the back burner for a little bit — he also sees the hours,” Idzik said with a beaming grin. “I think he would be a phenomenal coach. He’s also still a phenomenal player. So, I do think his brain is there, but I do also know he misses his time with his family right now.”
This story was originally published November 21, 2025 at 10:41 AM with the headline "Panthers OC explains how Hunter Renfrow has handled being among weekly inactives."
