Luke Kuechly on Cam Newton, Panthers: 'He'll be back'
Former linebacker Luke Kuechly was on hand for last week's premiere of "Super Men," The Charlotte Observer's new documentary about the 2015 Panthers. During the question-and-answer portion of the screening, Kuechly said that he thinks Cam Newton—a fellow pillar of that Super Bowl 50 squad—will eventually reunite with the organization.
'He'll be back,' Kuechly stated, per Scott Fowler and Théoden Janes. "I think it's just one of those things that's gotta work out timing-wise, to get everybody on the same page and back around."
The relationship between Newton and the Panthers, at least in recent years, hasn't been particularly strong. Last November, Newton stated that he believed the organization was "avoiding his legacy" after seeing few, if any photos of himself during a visit to Bank of America Stadium earlier that year.
Since then, the Panthers have poked at their all-time leading passer—including him in a number of social media posts. They've also, in a statement from a team spokesperson in March, expressed that their "doors are open" for Newton.
Newton, of course, was the key member of that 2015 squad. He led Carolina to a 15-1 regular-season record and their second-ever NFC championship crown while be named the franchise's only Most Valuable Player and Offensive Player of the Year.
Although he's yet to officially retire, Newton's playing days are almost certainly behind him. His last NFL down came in Week 18 of the 2021 campaign, the end of his second tenure with the Panthers.
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