Hunter Renfrow's treatment for ulcerative colitis caused him to take a hiatus from the NFL, the Carolina Panthers' new wide receiver revealed Thursday.

Renfrow said he dropped from 185 pounds to 150 pounds last year and visited the emergency room multiple times due to the inflammation, according to ESPN's David Newton. The 29-year-old added that he had stints of 103-degree fevers for a week straight.

Renfrow, who was on the Las Vegas Raiders at the time, was formally diagnosed during training camp in 2022. He attempted to play through the disease for two seasons before being released by the Raiders in March 2024.

"I felt so bad those two years, and I felt like I let my teammates down so much," Renfrow said. "I was like, 'Man, I know I don't feel well, but I do not want to play football again. Like, I do not want to let people down. I just want to go over here in my corner, do what I do, get into business.'"

The Raiders drafted Renfrow in 2019, and he earned a Pro Bowl nod in 2021 after garnering 103 receptions for 1,038 yards and nine touchdowns. The wide receiver signed a two-year, $32-million contract extension in June 2022, but recorded just 585 yards and two touchdowns in the following two campaigns.

Renfrow started to feel good again in January, and the Panthers signed him on Sunday. He believes he can "start fresh" with a new team.

"Now I'm here," the South Carolina native said. "And I'm excited about playing football again."