‘It kicked my butt pretty good’ – Hunter Renfrow reveals private health battle which forced him to miss 2024 NFL season

HUNTER RENFROW has opened up on his health battle after missing all of last season.

The wide receiver has joined the Carolina Panthers after spending a year out the NFL following his release from the Las Vegas Raiders.

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Renfrow, 29, bravely battled ulcerative colitis when away from the field.

The disease is a type of “inflammatory bowel disease that causes inflammation and ulcers in the lining of the rectum and colon”.

Renfrow suffered from weight loss, fatigue and high fevers, with him in no state to train.

Opening up on his struggles, he said: “It kicked my butt pretty good.

“Last year, I fluctuated in weight; I went down to 150 pounds.

“I had like seven straight days of 103-degree fevers. It’s tough to play when you’re not feeling great.”

Renfrow admits he needs to shed some weight to get back to optimum level before the start of the 2025 NFL season.

But he is “grateful” to be healthy and to have his cleats on again, adding: “It’s just trying to get back, trying to get healthy, trying to do something I love.

“I enjoyed other parts of life. We had our second daughter, so enjoying that and just wanting to make sure if I’m going to come back and give my time and attention to something that I was going to be all in on it.”

The former Pro Bowler recorded 269 catches for 2,884 yards and scored 17 touchdowns in five seasons with the Raiders.

Adam Thielen, Jalen Coker, Xavier Legette and the No8 overall pick in the Draft Tetairoa McMillan are battling Renfrow for a spot in the team.