SPARTANBURG, S.C. -- His jersey was teal instead of the familiar green
and gold, but that did little to disguise Reggie White on his first day as a Carolina Panther.
The largest crowd of this training camp turned out Monday to catch a glimpse of
the NFL's career sacks leader. Fans crowded against the fence and children
chanted "Reggie! Reggie!" over and over. Some of his new teammates even
stopped what they were doing to watch him in action.
"To see No. 92 out there in our colors, I caught myself looking over there
two or three times and saying 'Wow, there's Reggie White in our uniform,' "
quarterback Steve Beuerlein said.
White ended his one-year retirement Friday when he agreed to a five-year
contract with the Panthers. The contract was signed Sunday and White hit the
field Monday. He'll spend at least his first week working out with Jerry
Simmons, Carolina's strength and conditioning coach.
Simmons started White out with wind sprints against Sean Gilbert, then
ordered them to race up the steep hill that overlooks the practice field.
As if the trips up the hill weren't hard enough, White had to dodge the
numerous cameras following him and the crowd that had cleared a lane for him to
run through.
And Gilbert -- a 318-pound defensive tackle -- beat him every time.
White didn't mind.
"When they told me we were going to run up the hill, I thought they were
joking," he said. "I was just glad I didn't faint. I was worried I would and
it would make it on the national news tonight."
Simmons said he found the 38-year-old defensive end to be well conditioned
on his first day and it might not take too long to get White into full pads.
"I think he's in pretty good shape, not in bad shape at all," Simmons
said. "A guy like that, when he's done what he's done and decided he wanted to
come back, he knew that he was going to have to come in and do some work."
That included lifting weights while the rest of the Panthers went to lunch.
But White wouldn't have it any other way. He had an NFC-leading 16 sacks in his
final season with Green Bay, earning him Defensive Player of the Year.
That's the level White said he is aiming to reach again.
"I will not settle for being a mediocre player, I've never been willing to
do that," he said. "I am coming in here to do everything I can to play at the
top of my game and help this team to win."
That's exactly why the Panthers lured him out of retirement. Carolina coach
George Seifert spent the offseason upgrading the defense, which ranked 26th in
the league last year.
The Panthers were particularly poor at pass rushing, ending the season with
35 total sacks. To improve in that category, Seifert added Chuck Smith, who had
10 sacks last season with Atlanta, and Jay Williams, who had four as a reserve
with St. Louis.
White had 192½ sacks in 14 seasons and was given a contract laden with
incentives based on Carolina's defensive improvement.
But White, who will be used primarily on third downs, cautioned he alone
won't turn around the defense.
"This team is never going to be about Reggie White -- I'm not coming here
proclaiming myself a savior," he said. "And it's not my place to come in and
say you guys were terrible last year. I think they realize they didn't play
well and I don't think any defense wants to settle for being 26th in the
league. They are doing what they can to help themselves improve."
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