What in the world was growing in my pepper’s roots?

I have a year-old lunchbox orange pepper plant that my boyfriend over-wintered. It’s in rough shape, but it’s still growing leaves and even a pepper! I figured at its size and age it needed a bigger pot. After I took it out, I discovered this mound of leaves. I tried as carefully as possible to remove it and open it with a twig but I kind of crushed it. The leaves were in an almost perfect cylinder, wrapped around itself in cut up leaves. It smelled nasty. Anyone know what it could be? Last photo is the plant before I repotted it.