Former North Carolina Tar Heels legend Julius Peppers achieved the biggest honor a player can receive in the game of football on Saturday. Peppers was enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame as part of the 2024 class, officially making it to Canton.

The ceremony featured Peppers along with other members of the class giving a speech, thanking teammates, coaches, family members and more along the way. But during Peppers’ speech, he gave a special shoutout.

Peppers went off script a little bit as Michael Jordan was in the crowd and he made sure to give him a shoutout.

“While I’m talking about Chapel Hill and North Carolina, I know this is the Pro Football Hall of Fame,” Peppers said. “I’m not going to sit up here and act like my idol and one of the reasons why I went to Chapel Hill is not in the building. The GOAT, His Airness, Michael Jordan. MJ, I want to thank you for the inspiration and the memories. Love you big bro!”

Like Jordan, Peppers grew up in North Carolina and decided to attend the University of North Carolina. While he dominated on the football field, Peppers also played basketball at the program, becoming a dominant two-sport athlete.

Saturday was just another example of how the Carolina Family runs deep and spans over multiple sports.