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Luke Kuechly makes appearance at Panthers training camp: 'I'm excited to be here'

Brian Jones Profile Picby:Brian Jones•08/05/24•

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Luke Kuechly
Dec 15, 2019; Charlotte, NC, USA; Carolina Panthers middle linebacker Luke Kuechly (59) looks back to the ref after a play against the Seattle Seahawks during the second half at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-USA TODAY Sports

Former Carolina Panthers linebacker Luke Kuechly appeared at the team’s training camp Monday afternoon. On the Panthers’ X account, Kuechly sent a message to the fans, revealing the three things he looked forward to seeing at practice.

“I need to go say hi to my guy Shaq Thompson. JJ Jansen got to say hi to him too, so that’s No. 2,” Kuechly said. “No. 3, I’m just excited to see these guys come out here have fun. Obviously, I’m very jealous that these guys get to come out here and play football. But I’m excited to be here. We got a lot of good fan support.”

Kuechly was selected by the Panthers at No. 9 overall in the 2012 NFL Draft and became one of the best linebackers in the 2010s decade. In his eight seasons in Carolina, Kuechly was named to the Pro Bowl serve times, selected to the All-Pro First Team five times and was named NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2012 and Defensive Player of the Year in 2013. After the 2019 season, the Boston College alum announced his retirement from the NFL at the age of 28.

Luke Kuechly knew he needed to ‘move on’ from playing football

“I think now is the right chance for me to move on,” Kuechly said at the time, per ESPN. “It makes me sad because I love playing this game – I’ve played it since I was a kid. It’s my favorite thing in the world to do. The memories I have from this place and this organization and being on the field with these guys – they’ll never go away.”

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“In my two seasons with Luke, I quickly recognized how special of a person he is,” Panthers owner David Tepper said in a statement. “The respect he gives and garners from others as well as the positive impact he has on his peers is second to none. It’s obviously going to be very difficult for all of us because we know that no player can replace what he’s been for this organization for the last eight years. His presence can’t be replicated.”

After his retirement in 2020, Kuechly became a pro scout for the Panthers. He left the position during the 2021 offseason. In 2022 and 2023, Kuechly was a color commentator for the Panthers Radio Network.