Luke Kuechly makes strong HOF case for Panthers teammate Cam Newton

CANTON, Ohio — Luke Kuechly will grow to be probably probably the most primary member of the Carolina Panthers’ 2015 Effectively-organized Bowl workforce to be enshrined throughout the Professional Football Corridor of Reputation on Saturday afternoon.

Kuechly additionally made a case for two offensive stars from that workforce — which began the season 14-0 — changing into a member of him in Canton sooner or later. Corridor electorate quickly will weigh in on Cam Newton, the MVP-winning quarterback whose first One year of eligibility is next One year.

In all places Kuechly’s media availability Thursday, he talked regarding the bigger-than-lifestyles nature of a quarterback who stood 6 ft 5 and weighed 245 kilos.

“When Cam was at the self-discipline, he was the overall be aware player at the self-discipline. He was the best, maximum bodily dominant individual at the self-discipline,” Kuechly stated.

Despite the fact that NFC warring parties — particularly the Panthers’ divisional competition — was accustomed to Newton’s stature, Kuechly stated that was now now not the case when the Panthers carried out out of convention.

“Should you’ll high-tail play AFC groups … and walk out for the coin toss, that you simply will have to peep the faces of the blokes walking out and, ‘Oh, my God, he’s large,’” stated Kuechly, noting that Newton would assign on smaller “shells” all through practice in answer to historic shoulder pads.

“Without equal time he actually had his pads on may just maximum definitely be all through video video games. He wore those large rib protectors. He had those foam shin guards,” Kuechly stated, widening his palms. “He was the best individual at the self-discipline, and then he was dominant. He may just scoot earlier guys, via guys, spherical guys, jump over guys. He may just throw the ball anyplace at the self-discipline. And when he was at his most simple, he was the overall be aware player at the self-discipline at all times.”

Newton is already represented throughout the Corridor of Reputation. His cleats from the 2015 NFC Championship Recreation, along with the draft card the Panthers used to make a substitute him with the No. 1 overall make a decision throughout the 2010 NFL Draft are on display.

In conserving with a question about Newton’s candidacy, Kuechly additionally had over the top praise for Greg Olsen, who was probably probably the most primary tight result in NFL historical past with 3 consecutive, 1,000-yard receiving seasons from 2014 to 2016.

“If I’m a workforce and I’m protecting the Carolina Panthers, there’s two guys that or not it’s the most important to worry about. To start with, it’s Greg Olsen on account of he can salvage the whole lot,” Kuechly stated. “He can line up throughout the slot. He can assign his hand throughout the ground. He can block any person. He can scoot receiver routes — frontside, bottom, throughout the slot.”

Olsen, who retired after the 2020 season, did not salvage the lower of semifinalists this One year in his first One year at the poll. (Steve Smith was a finalist in 2025 however did not salvage the overall 15 this One year.)

“Should you in particular should recreation knowing for guys, I pass judgement on that tells the epic,” added Kuechly, the seven-time Professional Bowl linebacker who coaches a Charlotte, N.C., heart faculty soccer workforce with Olsen. “How can we salvage an additional man throughout the field? How can we salvage a loose runner at Cam? How can we cloud his imaginative and prescient so he can’t throw the ball to Greg? I pass judgement on that type of speaks for itself.”