Carolina Panthers: Luke Kuechly says he’s open to coaching

According to Mike Garafolo of NFL Network, former Carolina Panthers linebacker Luke Kuechly is open to coaching.

Less than a week after retiring from the NFL, former Carolina Panthers linebacker Luke Kuechly is reportedly open to returning to the league in a coaching or consulting capacity. The news was first announced by NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo on Saturday morning’s edition of “Good Morning Football.” Kuechly was known for calling out plays before they happened during his playing days, and was regarded as one of the smartest football players in the league. According to former Panthers teammate Captain Munnerlyn, Kuechly was so devoted to film study that he refused to have cable television in his home early in his career in order to avoid distraction.

Kuechly was one of the most dominant linebackers of his era–if not in NFL history–over any eight-year span.

Over the past eight seasons, perhaps no other linebacker in the NFL has been as consistently dominant as Kuechly has. During that time, the former first-round pick had more tackles than anyone in the league, and has more interceptions than any other linebacker. Kuechly recorded at least 100 tackles in each year of his career, becoming just the fifth player in NFL history to have eight consecutive 100-tackle seasons. In Week 16 of the 2013 campaign, he tied the NFL record for the most tackles in a single game with 24. When the coaching staff was watching film the following week, they determined he actually had 26. Even though he played just eight years, his time in the league ranks among the most dominant of any defensive player ever.

Soon after the team posted Kuechly’s retirement announcement via video, long-time Panthers head coach Ron Rivera sent out his own tweet, stating that after playing with Mike Singletary and coaching Brian Urlacher–both of whom are Hall of Famers–he believes that Kuechly is deserving of the same honor. In addition, both current and former teammates, as well as others from around the league, sent congratulatory messages via social media. Among them were Greg Olsen, Thomas Davis, Christian McCaffrey, and the Saints’ Michael Thomas. On top of praising the player and competitor that Kuechly was, the messages also shed light on what he meant as a person and a leader.

The most likely landing spots for Kuechly as a coach or consultant are in Carolina or with Rivera in Washington.

While it remains to be seen whether or not Kuechly will be on an NFL sideline in 2020, perhaps the most likely places he could return as a coach are Washington and Carolina. His ties to the Panthers are obvious, as he spent his entire playing career with the team; however, Rivera is now the Redskins’ head coach and is still filling out his staff. Matt Rhule and the Panthers are expected to bring Phil Snow, Rhule’s defensive coordinator at Baylor, to Carolina in the same role. Beyond that, though, the Panthers don’t currently have a linebackers coach on staff. Kuechly’s intense film study and football IQ make him an intriguing candidate for the position, although the decision would ultimately come down to whether or not the seven-time All-Pro wants to return this soon. As Garafolo reported, though, we likely haven’t seen the last of Luke Kuechly in the NFL.