Luke Kuechly retires

[Growl]

28 minutes ago, hepcat said:

I don't want to inspire any false hope, but I do personally think there is still a chance Luke comes back next season.

1) He hasn't signed his retirement paper yet. Whether he was waiting until after June 1 because of some salary cap reasons, or because he hasn't entirely made up his mind, the fact remains he's not officially retired yet

2) He's remained involved with the team. Luke apparently lives near Matt Rhule and has spent time talking to him and his kids while he's "coming home from fishing trips". On the surface that seems like the moves of a guy that is pretty solidly retired, if it wasn't the middle of the offseason and also in the midst of a pandemic. But Luke is establishing a relationship with the new coach.

3) He's welcoming new players to the team. He posted an Instagram story welcoming Derrick Brown to the Panthers. The optics of that move say, at the very least, Luke is still involving himself with the team. Whether that is because he is simply bored during shelter at home orders, still has the itch to play, or maybe both, remains to be seen.

I have to say, everything I've seen outwardly from Luke looks like a guy who might not be done playing football. At the very least, Luke isn't done with the Panthers. Maybe he becomes a coaching intern this fall, or goes into a reporting/announcing role with Gross and Delhomme.

hawkeye.hope.gif

[TheRumGone]

I hope he doesn’t come back strictly because of his concussion history. 

[jamos14]

It's not happening. 

[ForJimmy]

He will probably be on our staff soon. I don’t think he comes back as a player... especially for our young roster.

[Growl]

His retirement statement seemed to indicate that whatever was "limiting" him was something that could be managed but that he just wasn't necessarily up for it if it would hold back his play. Not something you'd associate with his head.

There's a whole lot of potential subtext that could be speculated on there. Part of me wonders if Charlotte hadn't ragged on him so stupidly and passionately for playing like a Top 3 LB in the league instead of a Top 1 if he wouldn't have taken whatever struggles he's had to face so hard.

[OneBadCat]

I'd love to have Luke back as a player but that's a pipe dream. I hope he returns as a coach though. If he could teach our guys just some of what he sees they will be much better.

[Growl]

The narrative around here has been that Luke must've had some meeting with a neurosurgeon after the season and the doctor said "You've gotta stop playing, NOW" but nothing I've seen has suggested that something of the sort happened. In fact, we know the Luke Kuechly Retirement Story started before that, with the reports of a long and somber meeting with Dave tepper in the locker room after the last game.

I think it's just as likely that Luke has been wrestling with a spat of "minor," nagging injuries that he feels has been limiting his play, and in conjunction with the concussions earlier in his career, made him feel like it just may not be worth it, especially if you mix in the truly atrocious season we just had-not just record-wise, but atmospherically, then the departure of everybody youve worked with during your career, along with the persistent and absurd criticisms of his play from outsiders when he was already down on himself for it presumably, and I can see why that would drive a guy to consider just stepping away, and dare I say, leaving the door open in his heart for a potential return when it's right for him.

[MMA]

1 hour ago, hepcat said:

I don't want to inspire any false hope, but I do personally think there is still a chance Luke comes back next season.

1) He hasn't signed his retirement paper yet. Whether he was waiting until after June 1 because of some salary cap reasons, or because he hasn't entirely made up his mind, the fact remains he's not officially retired yet

2) He's remained involved with the team. Luke apparently lives near Matt Rhule and has spent time talking to him and his kids while he's "coming home from fishing trips". On the surface that seems like the moves of a guy that is pretty solidly retired, if it wasn't the middle of the offseason and also in the midst of a pandemic. But Luke is establishing a relationship with the new coach.

3) He's welcoming new players to the team. He posted an Instagram story welcoming Derrick Brown to the Panthers. The optics of that move say, at the very least, Luke is still involving himself with the team. Whether that is because he is simply bored during shelter at home orders, still has the itch to play, or maybe both, remains to be seen.

I have to say, everything I've seen outwardly from Luke looks like a guy who might not be done playing football. At the very least, Luke isn't done with the Panthers. Maybe he becomes a coaching intern this fall, or goes into a reporting/announcing role with Gross and Delhomme.

Yeah, it appears that Luke is still heavily involved in the team. He was on the panthers draft lounge show the other night. I don’t know how close Rhule lives to Luke. Luke’s house is not yet on the market yet considering that he’s an Ohio kid. Seems like Luke is planning on staying in Charlotte.