CAROLINA PANTHERS


Luke Kuechly, who spent all eight of his NFL seasons with the Carolina Panthers, was inducted to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in his second year of eligibility. Kuechly, 35, is the second-youngest player inducted to the hall, trailing only Gale Sayers.

Carolina Panthers general manager Dan Morgan recalled his work leading up to the 2012 NFL Draft. 

As a mid-tier scout for the Seattle Seahawks, Morgan created a thorough report on Luke Kuechly. Morgan, a former Panthers standout, entered his third season in his new role with a strong endorsement for the Boston College linebacker. 

One of the Seahawks’ more seasoned scouts, however, favored Dont’a Hightower. He intensely debated that the Alabama linebacker would eventually grade out as the better prospect. Morgan remembers trumpeting Kuechly for the Seahawks’ No. 15 pick. The former Panthers’ Pro Bowl linebacker trusted his eyes and gut, but the topic turned moot when Carolina drafted the All-American ninth overall. 

“I remember actually having an argument out in Seattle about Luke Kuechly and Don’t’a Hightower,” Morgan said during an interview with Panthers.com. “I was a huge Luke Kuechly fan. Like it wasn’t even close to me. I just remember watching his tape at BC and just being blown away by the type of player he was. You could see that in all the instincts. He is a special one.” 

Kuechly showed just how special. 

In eight seasons with the Panthers, he compiled 1,092 tackles and seven All-Pro campaigns. A member of the 2010s All-Decade squad, Kuechly earned the 2013 NFL defensive player of the year and 2012 defensive rookie of the year distinctions. 

Kuechly on Thursday learned of another accolade: the gold jacket that goes with induction to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Joining Kuechly in the Class of 2026 were quarterback Drew Brees, running back Roger Craig, wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald and kicker Adam Vinatieri. 

At 35 years old, Kuechly will become the Hall of Fame’s second-youngest Gold Jacket member behind Gale Sayers (34). The induction ceremonies are scheduled for Aug. 6-9 in Canton, Ohio. 

As Morgan discovered during his predraft scouting analysis, Kuechly’s work ethic exceeded expectations. Former Panthers great Julius Peppers, dressed in his 2024 Hall of Fame gold jacket, played a role in announcing his ex-teammate’s induction.   

“What I remember most about Luke is that he was one of my favorite teammates, man,” Peppers said. “And I played a long time, had hundreds, maybe even thousands of teammates over the years. “Just how he was with the guys in the locker room, just trying to be one of the guys, trying to be a great teammate, trying to be a leader, doing things the right way, being very professional.  

“So that’s what I saw in him and that’s what I really admired about him more than all the great things he did on the field.”

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