With more ups and downs than Lindsay Lohan’s love life, Panthers fans have watched the precarious teeter totter that has been Julius Peppers’ future in Carolina. A collective sigh of relief was breathed around Charlotte and the surrounding area on Wednesday, as Peppers reached a one-year deal totaling up to $19 million.

The original turmoil began when Peppers expressed his frustration with Carolina. He publicly admitted that he felt as though he had maxed out his potential on his team and wished to be moved from defensive end to linebacker. On another team. Peppers’ statements sent shockwaves through the locker room and his fan base, much of which had followed Peppers’ career as a freshman at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill through his success with his hometown team.

Sundays in the South will maintain their usual bonecrushing and thunderous blows and hits thanks to Peppers’ ruthless handling of offensive lines. While Panther fans are cheering, the Falcons, Saints and Bucs are shuddering in their pads.  And rightly so.