Panthers' LeFors a natural 'communicator'

April 26,2005
STEVE REED
FREEDOM NEWS SERVICE

CHARLOTTE - If there's one thing new Carolina Panthers quarterback Stefan LeFors shouldn't have a problem with at the NFL level its communicating with his new teammates.

That's because LeFors learned to decipher body language and grew to understand the importance eye contact at a very young age.

LeFors' parents, Larry and Susan, were both deaf. His only sibling, Eric, was also deaf. So LeFors spent much of his childhood using sign language to communicate.

"To me, it was normal," LeFors said in conference call Sunday. "A lot of people don't look at it as normal. But it was all I knew growing up.

"I have deaf parents, a deaf brother, grandparents, aunts and uncles that are deaf. I was pretty much the only one who could hear in my family. That was my life. We are a close family."

LeFors joined another close family on Sunday, as Panthers drafted the southpaw quarterback from Louisville in the fourth round of the NFL draft.

It comes just days after veteran Rodney Peete announced he was retiring after 16 seasons. With Peete out of the picture, LeFors will compete with Chris Weinke and Rod Rutherford for the No. 2 spot behind starter Jake Delhomme.

LeFors spent the last two seasons as the Cardinals starting quarterback after taking over for Dave Ragone, who left after the 2002 season. During that span, LeFors threw 27 touchdown passes and was intercepted 13 times, all the while keeping Louisville on the football map.

He also proved to be agile with his feet, scoring six rushing touchdowns.

LeFors became the second Louisville player selected by the Panthers in the NFL draft over the weekend, joining running back Eric Shelton, who was selected in the second round on Saturday.

"When I think of him, I think of three things that he brings - accuracy, throwing on the run and when there is no one open running with the ball," Shelton said.

If there's one knock on LeFors it's his height. Just shy of six-feet tall, there are some teams worried that he might struggled at the next level.

"He's a little shorter than most quarterbacks, and that's probably the reason he went to the second day," Panthers head coach John Fox said. "But other than that it's hard to find anything wrong with him."

Perhaps it was destiny that LeFors ended up in Carolina.

Earlier this month, LeFors spent part of Easter Sunday at the Delhomme's home in Breaux Bridge, La. It wasn't a recruiting visit, just happenstance. LeFors is from Baton Rouge, La., and it turns out his wife's aunt is related to Delhomme's cousin.

Being that LeFors was from Louisville and that there were some loose family ties, Delhomme kept tabs on LeFors' college career and was anxious to meet him.

So, over some broiled crawfish, the two future teammates talked football. At the time, Delhomme had no idea the Panthers were even interested in drafting LeFors.

"We sat down and he asked a few questions about what was it like to be in the NFL," Delhomme said.

"The only thing I couldn't tell him about was the draft because I wasn't drafted. I said, 'You're on your own on that.'"

Asked what he thought of Delhomme, LeFors replied, "I liked him a lot. He's a real down-to-earth guy. He's a Cajun. I relate to him."

But, LeFors admits, he's not quite as Southern as Delhomme.

"No, I'm not "as bad" as him," LeFors laughed. "I'm from the city. He's out there by the bayou and all of that."

Before LeFors left the house on Easter, Delhomme joked that maybe the Panthers would draft him.

Little did he know they would.

"I told him if you're lucky enough to get drafted by Carolina, it will be an easy transition," Delhomme said. "I will show you the ins and outs and what you need to know."

You can bet LeFors plans to take him up on that beginning this weekend.

"I'm excited. I really didn't know what to expect coming into this whole thing," LeFors said. "I expected to get drafted, I just didn't know when or where. I couldn't think of a better place than Carolina."

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