Panthers great Luke Kuechly reacts to missing out on being a first-ballot Hall of Famer
He may not be a Pro Football Hall of Famer, at least not yet, but Carolina Panthers legend Luke Kuechly is still a Hall of Fame pro.
In a shock to many, Kuechly was not named to the Pro Football Hall of Fame's 2025 class last week. The former seven-time All-Pro linebacker and NFL Defensive Player of the Year missed out on becoming a first-ballot inductee, an honor reserved for the game's most elite.
Among those surprised by the exclusion was FanDuel's Kay Adams, who hosted Kuechly on Thursday's episode of Up & Adams. But instead of making the topic about himself, Luke graciously turned the spotlight to the men who did make it in . . .
This year's class includes wide receiver Sterling Sharpe, tight end Antonio Gates, cornerback Eric Allen and defensive end Jared Allen—who spent most of the 2015 season as a teammate of Kuechly's.
Kuechly was, however, voted into the top seven amongst the 2025 finalists. So by rule, he is automatically a finalist for the 2026 class.
Hang in there, Luke. It won't take much longer.
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