Carolina Panthers legend Luke Kuechly has been named a Hall of Fame finalist.
Former Carolina Panthers linebacker and franchise legend Luke Kuechly has been named as a finalist for the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Kuechly joins Torry Holt, Willie Anderson, Adam Vinatieri, Drew Brees, Jahri Evans, Larry Fitzgerald, Frank Gore, Eli Manning, Terrell Suggs, Reggie Wayne, Kevin Williams, Jason Witten, Darren Woodson, and Marshal Yanda as the other finalists.
Kuechly only played eight years in the NFL, but he was a dominant player. He was a five-time All-Pro and seven-time Pro Bowler.
Kuechly also won the Defensive Rookie of the Year award and was a Defensive Player of the Year award winner in just his second season.
He was a major reason for the Panthers making it to the Super Bowl against the Denver Broncos in the 2015 season.
While Kuechly was named a finalist for the Pro Football Hall of Fame, wide receiver Steve Smith Sr. did not make the cut.
Smith Sr. had a great career, playing 13 years with the Panthers before spending his final three seasons with the Baltimore Ravens.
He was a five-time Pro Bowler and a two-time All-Pro. Smith Sr. also won the Comeback Player of the Year award in 2005.
For his career, he hauled in 1,031 receptions for 14,731 yards and 81 touchdowns. He also had 387 yards and two touchdowns rushing.
Despite all of this, Smith Sr. was not selected as a finalist, leaving Kuechly as the lone representative for the Panthers.
Carolina is playing the most meaningful football they have had since Kuechly was on the roster. The Panthers can make it to the playoffs for the first time since the 2017 season with a win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 18.
The Panthers lost to the Seattle Seahawks in Week 17 as they tried to clinch the division title. It now comes down to their Week 18 matchup, but they could still get in with a loss. If the Atlanta Falcons beat the New Orleans Saints, it would eliminate the Buccaneers and send the Panthers to the postseason.
While all the focus is on Carolina's regular-season finale, Kuechly is very deserving of becoming a finalist for the Pro Football Hall of Fame.