SLIDE 17 of 17 Week 17: Is this the end?

The Panthers' Week 17 game against the Saints, unlike their first meeting, meant very little in the grand scheme of the season. But in that game, Peppers had one last opportunity to reach yet another milestone in his near-incomparable career: With two sacks, he would surpass Pro Football Hall of Famer and former Panthers linebacker Kevin Greene for the fourth-most sacks in NFL history. In the second quarter, Peppers would sack Saints backup quarterback Teddy Bridgewater, putting that milestone within reach.

He would ultimately tackle Bridgewater again - But came within half a yard of his tackle being a "sack". He would also tackle Saints gadget quarterback Taysom Hill for a loss, but it did not count as a sack since Hill never attempted a forward pass. Ultimately, Peppers would have a season-high four tackles as the Panthers would end their season on a high note with a 33-14 win.

With the game being the very last for Ryan Kalil, the Panthers were able to send the leader of their offensive line out on a high note. And then, in the post-game press conference, Ron Rivera said something that raised many eyebrows:

"This is the best way to send Kalil and Pep on their way," said Rivera.

Rivera wouldn't directly confirm if Peppers had played his last down of football - Nor did Peppers, as he did not speak to the media following the game. But still, signs seemed to point to the idea of the game having been Peppers' last hurrah. And if it was indeed the end, Rivera stated that his takeaway from having coached Peppers for two seasons was that he wished he could have brought him back to the Panthers sooner.

"I would have loved to try and get him when he went from Chicago to Green Bay. Unfortunately, it just didn't work out," said Rivera. "But having him here, and having him be part of what we're trying to establish, I think was tremendous. Really one of those guys that you always wish 'God, I wish we could've had (him) sooner'."

In time, all will become clear for Julius Peppers: He could very well opt to call it a career, and hang up his helmet after 17 outstanding seasons. But as a seemingly immortal pass rusher who still has that one last mountain left to climb in the form of a Super Bowl triumph, it doesn't seem outside of the realm of possibility that he could walk right back into the locker room: Defensive lineman Kyle Love said as much on locker cleanout day, telling the media that he wouldn't be shocked if Peppers played another year.

Regardless of what Peppers ultimately decides to do, his legacy is set in stone: As a native son of the Carolinas, an all-time legend at his position, and a hero to so many across the region both for his accomplishments as an athlete and his generosity as a man, he is the Once and Future Carolina Panther.