Luke Kuechly to call 13 Carolina Panthers games this fall

Legendary Carolina Panthers linebacker Luke Kuechly is returning to the media booth this season after making his debut with the Panthers Radio Network last season. For the 2023 season, the former first-round draft pick will call 13 Panthers games for the radio network.

Kuechly, who retired as a player after the 2019 season, has since also spent time with Carolina’s scouting department.

According to the Panthers, radio play-by-play man Anish Shroff will have a rotating cast of color commentators with him this year. Kuechly will be one, along with former QB Jake Delhomme, and long-time announcer Jim Szoke.

The former Panthers linebacker will be on every game except the season opener, the road game in Miami, the road game in Tampa Bay and the season finale versus Tampa Bay.

Carolina kicks off the 2023 regular season slate on Sunday versus the Atlanta Falcons on the road. As the visitors, they’re 3.5-point underdogs to the Falcons, according to the Vegas oddsmakers. After playing Atlanta on Sunday, the Panthers won’t see them again until they host them on Dec. 17.

Last season, the two foes split their matchups, which included an overtime win by the Falcons over Halloween weekend. Carolina got the better of Atlanta just two weeks later at home.

Kuechly dives into radio broadcasting

Last season, Kuechly was in the booth for six home games (Weeks 1, 4, 5, 7, 12, and 15) and Carolina’s Week 9 road trip to Cincinnati.

“They just talk about how much fun it’s been,” he said last year of his new role. “I think at the end of the day, it’s really just football. And I think talking about football is relatively easy.

“There’s going to be a learning curve, and things happen way faster in the booth. To be able to deliver a concise message and paint a picture for somebody is something these guys are really good at, and I’m going to have to get used to.”

A Boston College standout, Kuechly went No. 9 overall to the Panthers in the 2012 NFL Draft.

In his NFL career, Kuechly totaled 1,092 tackles, 75 tackles for loss, 12.5 sacks, and 31 quarterback hits, along with 18 interceptions, 66 passes defended, seven forced fumbles and nine fumble recoveries. Kuechly was a Pro Bowler seven times, earning a selection in all but one of his NFL years. He was also a five-time All-Pro and the 2013 AP Defensive Player of the Year.