The Clemson Tigers’ culture redefines the term strength. The campus heralds the ‘All In’ slogan, and it’s something that Dabo Swinney and Co. take seriously. The bonds that Swinney builds with players continue even after they leave college football. Swinney turned up to support former Clemson star, who has fought back like a Tiger to keep his NFL dreams alive. Swinney also had the perfect parallel for this player’s might: Superman.

Hunter Renfrow is a hero in the Tigers’ locker room. The star receiver joined as a walk-on and left Clemson with two National Championship wins. 186 catches, 2,133 yards, and 15 TDs from Clemson set him up to be a star in the NFL as well. He had a breakout season with the Raiders in 2021 and also earned All-Pro Bowl honors. However, Renfrow’s NFL career suddenly hit a snag in 2024, being forced to leave the league after getting a diagnosis of ulcerative colitis. Nevertheless, the Tiger in Renfrow helped him push through it to come back to the NFL.

He will mark his return with the Carolina Panthers and has already begun his practice camp. But on the sidelines, he saw a familiar friend and mentor–Dabo Swinney. “I’m happy he’s back out there, and if he stays healthy, he will do what Hunter Renfrow does,” the HC told the press. He also reckoned that once the WR suits up and dons his helmet, he “becomes Superman.” Last year, Renfrow dropped by Clemson too, as he planned the future of his NFL career, after being released by the Raiders. He signed a one-year contract with the Panthers and will be in a room full of youngsters. Expected to be a part of QB Bryce Young‘s receiver corps, Renfrow is getting one more chance to build a great NFL legacy.

Swinney said that a lot of teams were trying to sign him, but he chose a franchise that came from a familiar region. “He took this last year, and he really got healthy and just got back to work,” the HC told the press. “I think he was wise in not making a final decision until he could get himself in a better state of mind, like health-wise, where he could really feel like he could be confident in making a decision, [because] he had teams trying to sign him last year. And he just said, ‘No, I’m not gonna do it.’ And so he got well,” he added. It comes full circle for the WR, who is playing for a franchise close to his roots and CFB home.

Hunter Renfrow and Dabo Swinney go beyond just football

At Carolina, Renfrow will find an at-home environment. That’s not just because of his being a South Carolina native and Clemson being around 2 hours away. It’s also because the WR finds a striking similarity between Dabo Swinney and Panthers HC Dave Canales. “They believe in you before you believe in yourself. They try to speak life into people, speak good into people… Unbelievable human beings first, right?” Renfrow told the press after practice. “They care about people first. And then football takes care of itself. And you want to do well for people like that. Y’all do what y’all do for y’all bosses,” he added.

For Dabo Swinney, however, Hunter Renfroe is not just any Clemson player. “Hunter’s more than just a kid I coach. He’s—my oldest son and him are best of friends, in each other’s weddings—so I’ve spent a lot of family time. We vacation together every year, and we’re close, much more than just a coach-player relationship,” Swinney told the press, giving the full picture of how deep their bond ran. “I’ve known the Renfrow family forever, when Hunter was just a little bitty guy coming up.”

That’s why Renfrow’s comeback is personal for the Tigers’ HC. The condition left the WR extremely fatigued, and his weight also dropped to 150 lbs. He also had long fevers, making his off time very difficult. “He really didn’t know how to deal with what he was dealing with…  he really was done,” Swinney said. Hunter Renfrow back up and running is surely going to have Dabo Swinney looking on proudly. Because he is almost like Dabo Swinney’s family, and the HC didn’t hesitate to show up and lift his star player’s spirits.