2026 Hall Of Fame Class Unveiled
As part of tonight’s NFL Honors program, the 2026 Pro Football Hall of Fame class has been revealed. Here is the full breakdown of the five-member class:
Drew Brees, quarterback (2001-20)
Chosen by the Chargers in the second round after they had traded down (via the Falcons) from No. 1 overall, Drew Brees joined LaDainian Tomlinson in what is now a two-Hall of Famer 2001 Bolts draft class. It took a while longer for Brees to join the superstar running back on that Canton path, but he found it in New Orleans. Brees did begin to turn his career around by 2004, when he guided the Chargers to their first playoff berth in eight years and made the Pro Bowl (no small feat with prime Peyton Manning and Tom Brady in the AFC at the time) in 2004. A John Lynch sack in a Broncos-Chargers Week 17 game in 2005, however, changed multiple franchises’ fortunes.
The Chargers gave the reins to 2004 first-rounder Philip Rivers, leading Brees to free agency. A Dolphins-Saints duel developed. Dolphins doctors not expressing confidence in Brees’ shoulder led the then-Nick Saban-coached team to bow out, and the Saints gave Brees a five-year, $60MM deal with $20MM guaranteed. He outplayed that contract and the rest of the deals he signed.
Brees lasted 15 years as the Saints’ starter. The franchise entered the Brees era with one playoff win in 39 years; the Saints now have 10 postseason victories, with the QB’s retirement marking a clear line of demarcation for the NFC South franchise.
Brees joined first-year HC Sean Payton upon signing with the Saints and guided them to the 2006 NFC championship game. That season followed a 3-13 campaign overshadowed by Hurricane Katrina. While the Saints lost to the Bears in the NFC title game, Brees earned his first and only first-team All-Pro honor. One of the best players never to win an MVP award — Tomlinson claimed the 2006 prize after scoring an NFL-record 31 touchdowns — Brees still lapped the QB field in other areas. The 13-time Pro Bowler has five 5,000-yard passing seasons. No one else has more than two.
Brees broke Dan Marino‘s single-season passing yardage record in 2008 and topped that total in 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2016. Brees broke his own single-season yardage record with 5,476 in 2011. That Saints team, which featured Jimmy Graham and Marques Colston as Brees’ top pass catchers, still holds the single-season yardage record (7,474) despite the NFL moving to a 17-game season in 2021. While Manning broke Brees’ yardage record in 2013, the New Orleans staple took down the ex-Colts and Broncos icon’s career marks later in the 2010s.
The Saints won their only Super Bowl thanks largely to Brees’ contributions. They started 13-0 in 2009 and earned the NFC’s No. 1 seed. Two fourth-quarter Tracy Porter interceptions helped the Saints hold off the Vikings and Colts. Brees earned Super Bowl XLIV MVP honors in the team’s 31-17 victory, completing 32 of 39 passes for 288 yards and two touchdowns. Unfortunately for Brees, a string of brutal playoff losses followed that coronation.
On the wrong side of Beastquake, a shootout loss to the 49ers the following year, the Minneapolis Miracle, and an infamous uncalled pass interference sequence that prompted the NFL try replay review for the play burned the Saints. But Brees extended his prime into his late 30s and set multiple career records.
Still holding the single-season completion percentage record (74.4% in 2018), Brees set the career touchdown pass standard with No. 540 in 2019. He had broken Manning’s career yardage record early in the 2018 season. Brady eventually caught Brees in both categories, but it took the Patriots and Buccaneers legend more time to do so.
While Rivers came out of retirement to delay his Hall of Fame case by five years, Brees’ San Diego successor was not certain to be enshrined in this class. Brees has been a first-ballot lock for a long time, playing through his age-41 season. Brees signed five Saints contracts, including a five-year, $100MM extension in 2012 and a pair of two-year, $50MM pacts (2018, 2020). His 2012 offseason helped set a precedent for franchise-tagged players, with an arbitrator ruling the Saints tagging him that year counted as his second tag (as the Chargers had tagged him in 2005). This helped protect players who changed teams, as the two-tag rule applied to a career rather than just one team.
Roger Craig, running back (1983-93)
As Bill Walsh‘s West Coast Offense was gaining steam, a former Nebraska cog became a pivotal chess piece in the Hall of Fame coach’s fifth San Francisco season. With the 49ers from 1983-90, Roger Craig shined as a dual-threat running back. Playing some fullback early in his career, Craig transitioned to the lead RB in Joe Montana‘s offense. The senior candidate became the first player to post a 1,000-1,000 season, doing so in 1985. Craig rushed for 1,050 rushing yards and accumulated 1,016 receiving yards that season. He led the NFL in receptions that year and finished with 15 touchdowns.
The 49ers drafted Craig in the 1983 second round. The team had acquired Wendell Tyler from the Rams that offseason, but both backs totaled 176 carries in ’83. Tyler led the 49ers in rushing in 1984, but Craig punctuated that season with a three-touchdown Super Bowl XIX effort. Craig totaled 135 scrimmage yards in the 49ers’ rout of the Dolphins, one that cemented San Francisco’s ’84 iteration — an 18-1 team — as being among the greatest squads in NFL history. Craig commandeered lead RB duties in 1985 and held them for the rest of the decade.
Craig earned All-Decade acclaim for his 49ers contributions. Famous for a high-knee running style, Craig produced three 1,000-yard rushing seasons and four 500-plus-yard receiving slates. He rushed for a career-high 1,502 yards — 46 of those on this gem in Anaheim — in 1988, helping the 49ers as they held extended QB battle between Montana and Steve Young. Craig then assisted Montana to MVP honors in 1989 with his third 1,000-yard year.
While Craig finished his career with stints on the Raiders (1991) and Vikings (1992-93), he is best remembered as a 49er. He finished his career with 13,100 scrimmage yards and 73 TDs. Craig joins Montana, Young, Jerry Rice, Ronnie Lott, Fred Dean and Charles Haley as Walsh-era 49ers enshrined in Canton.
Larry Fitzgerald, wide receiver (2004-20)
The Cardinals had already found a wide receiver gem in 2003, selecting Offensive Rookie of the Year Anquan Boldin in the second round. That came after the team chose Bryant Johnson in the 2003 first round. But Arizona did well to take the best player available a year later, nabbing Larry Fitzgerald third overall. Drafted at just 20, Fitzgerald played his entire career with the Cardinals. Like Brees, this involved a few short-term contracts. It also featured a then-record-setting wide receiver pact (seven years, $113MM) in 2011.
Fitzgerald is almost certainly the best player in the Cardinals’ 100-plus-year history. The surehanded pass catcher earned 11 Pro Bowl honors and landed on the 2010s’ All-Decade team. The three-time All-Pro did not have some of the advantages at quarterback many of his Hall of Fame peers did. The Cardinals struggled to find a reliable arm between the Kurt Warner and Carson Palmer tenures, and they missed on Josh Rosen in 2018. But Fitzgerald earned one his All-Pro honors between the Warner and Palmer years. The Palmer-Bruce Arians stretch revitalized the veteran receiver, but his career peak occurred with Warner and Ken Whisenhunt.
Although Cooper Kupp made a strong argument for best wide receiver postseason, Fitzgerald’s totals still reign supreme. The 6-foot-3 wideout’s 546 receiving yards during the 2008 playoffs lead the field by a healthy margin (Kupp’s 478 in 2021 ranks second).
Helping a 9-7 Cardinals team — one that ranked outside the top 20 in DVOA — to Super Bowl XLIII, Fitzgerald posted four 100-yard receiving games and caught a single-playoff-record seven touchdown passes. This included three in an Arizona NFC championship win over Philadelphia and two against a menacing Pittsburgh defense. Fitzgerald’s second Super Bowl TD — a 64-yard catch-and-run — gave the Cardinals a lead late in the fourth quarter. Their defense could not hold it, and Fitz did not advance to another Super Bowl.
The Cards did reach another NFC championship game, motoring to the 2015 third round after a franchise-record 13 wins. After three straight sub-1,000-yard seasons, Fitzgerald resurfaced with 1,215 yards and nine touchdowns. Playing more of a slot role under Arians, Fitzgerald made a considerable difference in the Cardinals’ divisional-round win over the Packers. After two miraculous Aaron Rodgers-to-Jeff Janis heaves forced overtime, Fitz denied the Pack a possession with a 75-yard sprint and a 5-yard shovel-pass TD.
Fitzgerald retired in second place in career receptions (1,432) and receiving yards (17,492). Fitz is more than 100 catches north of third place all time (Tony Gonzalez) and he sits more than 1,500 yards ahead of third place on that list (Terrell Owens). A model teammate and among the most dependable players in NFL history, Fitzgerald is among a handful of wide receivers enshrined on the first ballot.
Luke Kuechly, linebacker (2012-19)
Joining Cam Newton in driving the Panthers to their highest peak, Luke Kuechly is the most decorated player in team history. The star middle linebacker finished his career with seven straight All-Pro accolades. Five of those were first-team honors, elevating Kuechly to a high place among off-ball linebackers of any era.
The Panthers chose Kuechly ninth overall out of Boston College in 2012. Despite the lofty investment in a non-rush ‘backer, Kuechly immediately rewarded the Panthers and distinguished himself as an all-around player. Viewed as a top-notch coverage LB, Kuechly led the NFL in tackles during his rookie season – en route to a Defensive Rookie of the Year runaway – and in 2014. In between, Kuechly interrupted J.J. Watt’s Defensive Player of the Year reign, claiming that honor by making 156 tackles (10 for loss) to go with four interceptions. The Panthers claimed the NFC’s No. 2 seed that season.
Although Newton’s outlier MVP season powered the Panthers to a 15-1 record and Super Bowl 50 in 2015, Kuechly gave that No. 1-ranked offense backing by leading a Sean McDermott’s defense to a sixth-place finish.
Given a then-top-market extension (five years, $61.79MM) during the 2015 offseason, Kuechly followed it up with a four-INT season that included a Derrick Brooks-like TD rate. Kuechly notched two pick-sixes during the regular season and added two more in the playoffs, taking INTs back for scores in wins over the Seahawks and Cardinals. He later sacked Peyton Manning in Super Bowl 50.
Concussion trouble prompted Kuechly to end his career early. He suffered three from 2015-17, with a 2016 head injury keying a shutdown. While Kuechly did not sustain any documented concussions during his final two seasons, he retired shortly after the ’19 season – at just 28. Kuechly was on pace to be one of the greatest linebackers in NFL history, and he maximized his truncated run in the NFL. Becoming one of the highest-profile athletes in any sport to cite concussions in retiring early, Kuechly joins only former Lions great Joe Schmidt as the only off-ball LBs to earn five first-team All-Pro honors by 28.
Adam Vinatieri, kicker (1996-2019)
The NFL’s all-time leading scorer, Adam Vinatieri made three of the most important field goals in league history. The 1996 Patriots UDFA played until age 47, being one of just four players – joining kickers Morten Andersen and Gary Anderson and QB/kicker George Blanda – in playing into his late 40s. Passing Andersen late during his Indianapolis stay, Vinatieri’s 2,673 points more than 700 clear of the closest active player’s total.
While Vinatieri made two Super Bowl walk-off shots to launch the Patriots’ dynasty, his most impressive make came two weeks before Super Bowl XXXVI. The South Dakota State alum drilled a 45-yarder in the final minute during a snowy divisional-round game against the Raiders. Better known for the infamous Tuck Rule decision, that game also featured a Vinatieri game-winner after his previous make forced overtime.
Vinatieri stayed with the Patriots for 10 seasons and made a key difference in the AFC’s defining rivalry of that period. After Mike Vanderjagt shanked a game-tying try to leave the Colts eliminated as the No. 1 seed in Round 2 of the 2005 playoffs, they let their longtime kicker walk in free agency and gave Vinatieri – franchise-tagged by the Patriots in 2005 – a five-year, $12MM deal. Vinatieri signed five more Colts contracts, doing so after helping the team beat the Patriots in the 2006 AFC championship game and then defeat the Bears in the rain in Super Bowl XLI.
The four-time Super Bowl winner earned three first-team All-Pro nods, the last of those coming at age 42 in 2014, and while his 83.8% connect rate sits just 39th among qualified options, kickers continue to become more accurate. No one who entered the NFL before Vinatieri ranks above him on the all-time accuracy list. The 24-year vet joins Blanda, Andersen, Lou Groza and Jan Stenerud as Hall of Fame kickers.
Here are the players, coaches and contributors among this year’s finalists contingent that were not enshrined:
- Ken Anderson, QB
- Willie Anderson, T
- Bill Belichick, coach
- Jahri Evans, G
- Frank Gore, RB
- L.C. Greenwood, DE
- Torry Holt, WR
- Robert Kraft, owner
- Eli Manning, QB
- Terrell Suggs, EDGE
- Reggie Wayne, WR
- Kevin Williams, DT
- Jason Witten, TE
- Darren Woodson, S
- Marshal Yanda, OL
Belichick will likely be enshrined in 2027, but his omission this year proved shocking. Spygate and a voting system that lumps coaches and contributors with senior candidates is believed to be behind Belichick missing out. This could lead to a change in how the Hall of Fame inducts coaches. The North Carolina HC, he of eight Super Bowl wins (two as Giants DC), did not come up for a coaching job this offseason.
Eli Manning missed out for a second year. With the induction process altered to raise the bar for Hall induction, the postseason Giants hero continues to see his spottier regular-season work keep him out of Canton. The wide receiver logjam has gripped Holt and Wayne for a bit as well. Holt has been on the ballot for over a decade, with Wayne nearing that point.
Witten, who delayed his Hall of Fame clock by two years upon unretiring in 2019, sits fourth all time in career catches but was denied first-ballot enshrinement. A semifinalist this year, Rivers stalled his clock by five after his shocking return to the Colts. Gore sits third on the all-time rushing list, but he was only a one-time All-Pro. Still, Gore’s nine 1,000-yard rushing seasons will surely generate induction down the road.
Suggs, Yanda and Willie Anderson were among the final seven candidates considered for the Hall this year, according to Panthers.com’s Darin Gantt. Since tackles for loss became an official stat in 1999, Suggs is the leader with 202. The former Defensive Player of the Year will need to wait a bit longer before joining ex-Ravens teammates Ed Reed and Ray Lewis in Canton.
Ditto Yanda, an 2010s All-Decade guard who joined Reed, Lewis and Suggs on Baltimore’s Super Bowl XLVII-winning 2012 team. Willie Anderson was one of the game’s best tackles during a banner era for the position, dominating at right tackle for the Bengals and Ravens. By making the final seven, Suggs, Yanda and Willie Anderson will be automatic 2027 finalists, Gantt adds.
Panthers’ Post-Rhule Fallout: Termination, Replacement, Trades
The NFL news circuit was set ablaze today when news broke of the firings of Panthers head coach Matt Rhule and defensive coordinator Phil Snow. The termination of Rhule was not necessarily a surprise, as he’s been firmly on the hot seat all year and the possibility of firing Rhule had been discussed “well before” today, according to Josina Anderson of CBS Sports, but it did create a newsworthy fallout of information that is of interest to those who follow the sport.
Many have talked about the contract implications of Rhule’s termination, alluding to the millions of dollars still remaining on his contract. While it’s completely applicable to Rhule’s situation, it doesn’t sound like it is a concern to Carolina. Ian Rapoport of NFL Network tweeted out that “Carolina is on the hook for this season, but the salaries for the ensuing seasons are offset by what his future college job pays him.” Essentially, Rhule will absolutely get his guaranteed money, but the onus won’t be on Carolina to pay it. Whenever Rhule, who is presumed to be a top college coaching candidate for next year, gets another job, his salary from the new school will offset the amount the Panthers owe him.
It was also announced that Panthers defensive passing game coordinator & secondary coach Steve Wilks will sub in as the interim head coach for the remainder of the season. The defensive-minded former head coach of the Cardinals has apparently already begun to make the team his own. When Panthers owner David Tepper was asked why Snow was fired, he reportedly pointed the finger at Wilks, telling reporters to direct that question to the interim head coach, according to ESPN’s David Newton.
Here are a few more fallout items from today, starting with some ideas on Rhule’s replacement:
- The biggest nugget to come out of today concerning Carolina is that, as most NFL executives expected Rhule to lose his job, many in league circles are expecting the Panthers to start dealing veteran assets in an attempt to accrue draft capital that might make the head coaching position more attractive, according to Jason La Canfora of the Washington Post. The Panthers currently only hold four draft picks for 2023: first-, second-, fourth-, and fifth-round picks, supporting the idea that trading away veterans could improve their current situation. Trading away veterans with expensive contracts, such as star running back Christian McCaffrey or wide receiver Robbie Anderson, could prove troublesome, according to La Canfora, so the Panthers are reportedly willing to eat some of those salaries in order to facilitate moving those assets. Early reports claimed that the Bills have reached out about McCaffrey and that they did in the offseason, as well, according to Person, but Tom Pelissero of NFL Network clarified that, while every team will be calling about McCaffrey, the Panthers haven’t engaged in any trade talks yet. In addition to McCaffrey and Anderson, Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports expects wide receiver D.J. Moore, defensive end Brian Burns, and defensive tackle Derrick Brown to be on the table.
- Jeff Howe of The Athletic posed the question today of who might replace Rhule and offered quite a few suggestions. Howe started the list with Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn who took the Falcons to the Super Bowl as head coach in 2016. Next, he mentioned 49ers defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans. Ryans interviewed for the Vikings’ job this offseason and was expected to interview for the Raiders’, as well. The 38-year-old has rocketed up coaching boards since retiring as a player in 2015. Another name mentioned was Eagles defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon who also interviewed for the Vikings last year, in addition to the Texans and Broncos. Howe went into great detail on every candidate, seeming to list anybody who may be up for a head coaching job in the next few seasons. His list included former NFL head coaches including the retired Sean Payton, Steelers senior defensive assistant and linebackers coach Brian Flores, Bills defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier, and former Colts and Lions head coach Jim Caldwell, as well as the current interim head coach, Wilks. Other serious candidates Howe mentioned were Rams defensive coordinator Raheem Morris, Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy, Eagles offensive coordinator Shane Steichen, Patriots inside linebackers coach Jerod Mayo, and Raiders defensive coordinator Patrick Graham. The list essentially devolved into an article about anybody who may make the jump to NFL head coach in the next few seasons, pointing out “wait and see” candidates such as Rams offensive coordinator Liam Coen, Ravens offensive coordinator Greg Roman, Buccaneers offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich, Bengals defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo, Bills offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey, Giants offensive coordinator Mike Kafka, Dolphins offensive coordinator Frank Smith, Cowboys offensive coordinator Kellen Moore, Broncos defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero, Jaguars defensive coordinator Mike Caldwell, and Giants defensive coordinator Don “Wink” Martindale.
- One interesting name that came out of today’s rumors was former Panthers All-Pro linebacker Luke Kuechly. Joe Person of The Athletic advised that an eye be kept on Kuechly, who remains close with Wilks and new defensive coordinator Al Holcomb, to come back in some capacity. After retiring from a pro scout position last year, Kuechly has been working as an analyst on Panthers radio broadcasts.
Front Office Notes: Panthers, Kuechly, Texans
Scott Fitterer is looking to add to his staff. NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reports (via Twitter) that the Panthers have requested permission to interview Bills director of player personnel Dan Morgan for their assistant GM job. The organization has also reached out to the Eagles about interviewing director of player personnel Ian Cunningham for the assistant GM gig, via Rapoport on Twitter.
Morgan, of course, was a first-round pick by the Panthers back in 2001. The linebacker spent the first seven seasons of his career with Carolina, including a 2004 campaign where he made his lone Pro Bowl appearance. Following his playing career, Morgan joined the Seahawks front office, and he’s been in his current role with Buffalo since 2018.
Cunningham’s front office career started in Baltimore, and he joined the Eagles organization as director of college scouting in 2017. The executive was promoted to his current gig in 2019. As Eagles reporter Geoff Mosher points out (on Twitter), Panthers director of player personnel Patrick Stewart previously served as Philly’s national scout, so the front office has a connection to the Eagles.
Let’s check out some more front office notes from around the NFL…
- While the Panthers are looking to add to their front office, the team has also lost a valuable (and very popular scout). Rapoport reports (via Twitter) that Panthers legend Luke Kuechly resigned from his role as pro scout. The former Defensive Player of the Year took on the role after retiring as a player last offseason. Panthers reporter Joe Person tweets that Kuechly wants to spend more time with his family before deciding the next steps of his career.
- The Texans and director of pro personnel Rob Kisiel have mutually decided to part ways, according to Albert Breet of TheMMQB (via Twitter). Kisiel had been with the organization since the beginning, first serving as a scout before eventually making his way up to director of pro personnel.
- Speaking of the Texans, the front office hired former Patriots pro scout Ronnie McGill prior to the draft, according to Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (via Twitter). Houston GM Nick Caserio has had a habit of stealing talent from New England, and it makes sense that he’d have his eyes on McGill. The former college running back had been with the Patriots organization since 2010.
Luke Kuechly To Join Panthers’ Front Office?
Tuesday marked the official end of an era as the Panthers officially placed Luke Kuechly on the reserve/retired list. Now, the linebacker is considering a role in the team’s front office as a pro scout (via Bill Voth of the team website).
[RELATED: Panthers Place Luke Kuechly On Reserve/Retired List]
“I think it’s great if it works out if it’s what he wants to do,” head coach Matt Rhule said. “Obviously, the pro side (scouts) are the guys who are evaluating other NFL players. Their mission is twofold: They’re helping us build the roster by finding other guys that fit what we do, and they’re also providing advanced scouting each week on the opponent. If there’s someone who was built for that, it’s probably Luke Kuechly with his preparation and work.”
Kuechly’s tireless work ethic and film review helped propel him to seven Pro Bowl selections, a Defensive Player of the Year trophy, and an appearance in Super Bowl 50. His retirement announcement in January took many by surprise, but few were taken off guard by his reported desire to stay involved with the game of football.
“In my heart I know it’s the right thing to do,” Kuechly said earlier this year. “There’s only one way to play this game since I was a little kid – play fast, play physical and play strong. And at this point I don’t know if I am able to do that anymore.”
Kuechly could also advance up the ladder from here. The 29-year-old said to have some interest in coaching as well.
Panthers Place Luke Kuechly On Reserve/Retired List
Months after Luke Kuechly‘s retirement announcement, the Panthers officially placed the perennial All-Pro linebacker on their reserve/retired list, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets.
By waiting until after June 1 to do so, the Panthers will spread out Kuechly’s $11.8MM in dead money over two years. For 2020, it will create almost $6MM in cap space for the Panthers, Joe Person of The Athletic tweets.
This will give Carolina some additional breathing room, bumping its cap-space figure north of $8MM. That will be necessary for the franchise to sign its draft class, though the Panthers have already signed first-round pick Derrick Brown.
Kuechly retired at 28, with two seasons left on his five-year, $61.8MM contract. The future Hall of Famer would have been set for a mammoth extension, with top peer Bobby Wagner taking the off-ball linebacker market to $18MM per year in 2019 and the Panthers having recently inked Shaq Thompson to a more lucrative deal than the one on which Kuechly finished his career. But Kuechly, who battled concussions in previous years, opted to walk away after eight seasons.
The Panthers attempted to address their considerable void by signing ex-Lions and Raiders starter Tahir Whitehead, who played for Matt Rhule at Temple. Although the Panthers made seven draft picks on defense, they did not use any of those selections on a linebacker.
Extra Points: Brees, Kuechly, O’Brien
Saints coach Sean Payton might’ve accidentally let some big news slip this week. Appearing on ESPN’s ‘Get Up,’ Payton said “the unique situation with our team and quarterback Drew Brees, he’s announced he’s coming back for his final season,” via Katherine Terrell of The Athletic. When Brees elected not to retire this offseason, he said he’d be taking things year by year and didn’t make any official proclamations about this being his last campaign.
Either Payton misspoke, or he let the cat out of the bag. We’ve heard for a while now that the Saints eventually want Taysom Hill to take over as the starting quarterback, and that they plan on utilizing Hill even more this coming season. All the moves they’ve made so far point to one last run with Brees, so it would make sense if he has in fact told them this is his final ride. They’ve signed a 32-year-old Malcolm Jenkins and a 33-year-old Emmanuel Sanders, so they’re clearly all-in on 2020.
Here’s more from around the league:
- Speaking of NFC South retirements, Panthers linebacker Luke Kuechly surprisingly decided to hang up his cleats this offseason. Interestingly, Carolina still hasn’t officially placed him on the reserve/retired list, according to Joseph Person of The Athletic. Before fans get excited, that’s likely because the Panthers can add $6MM in cap space by waiting until after June 1st to make the move, Person notes. Additionally, a source close to the former Defensive Player of the Year told Person that he has had “no second thoughts” about his decision to retire. We’ve heard the former All-Pro could be eyeing a coaching/consulting gig, and Person writes he has also explored broadcasting opportunities. Kuechly is still only 28, so there’s plenty of time for him to change his mind about his playing career.
- Texans coach Bill O’Brien caught a lot of flak for his trade of Deandre Hopkins and what he was able to get back in return, and he sought to explain himself a bit Friday. “It was in the best interest of our team. DeAndre Hopkins was a great football player. We loved DeAndre Hopkins He had three years left on his deal and he wanted a raise. David Johnson is going to be a great addition to our football team,” O’Brien said, via Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (Twitter link). O’Brien seemed to confirm that Hopkins’ desire to sweeten his deal was a driving force behind the shocking trade. It’ll be very interesting to see how O’Brien handles the locker room and growing backlash from the fanbase.
Luke Kuechly Eyeing Coaching/Consulting Gig?
Earlier this week, linebacker Luke Kuechly surprised many by announcing his retirement. While the 28-year-old may be done playing in the NFL, it sounds like he has an interest in sticking around the league.
NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo doesn’t think we’ve seen the last of Kuechly, noting that the player could return to the league in a coaching or consulting role (Twitter link). As the reporter notes, the seven-time Pro Bowler was always lauded for being a “coach on the field,” and the veteran was known for his obsession with film. That’d make him a natural fit for any organization.
Of course, Garafolo cautions that teams will give Kuechly some time to figure out the next step of his career, but the reporter also notes that the linebacker could be with an organization in some capacity for the 2020 season. Garafolo specifically mentions the Panthers, the team Kuechly spent his entire eight-year career with, as an organization that’d love to have him in some sort of role.
Meanwhile, Albert Breer of TheMMQB points to Kuechly’s alma matter, Boston College, as a potential fit (Twitter link). Breer say he wouldn’t be surprised if the school tries to add Kuechly to new coach Jeff Hafley’s staff.
One of the best players in the Panthers’ 25-year history, Kuechly has anchored Carolina defenses since being selected in the 2012 first round. He started all 118 games in which he played and led the Panthers to four playoff berths from 2013-17. Kuechly broke up J.J. Watt‘s string of defensive player of the year honors, winning the award in 2013. Two years later, he spearheaded Carolina’s 15-1 season and run to Super Bowl 50.
Luke Kuechly Announces Retirement
One of this era’s defining defenders, Luke Kuechly delivered a stunner Tuesday night. The perennial All-Pro announced his retirement at age 28.
Kuechly made his seventh straight Pro Bowl this season and is a five-time first-team All-Pro. The 28-year-old linebacker has dealt with concussions for years. He suffered three from 2015-17. While Kuechly is not the first to retire early due to health issues in recent years, he is one of the highest-profile players to step away early in modern NFL history.
While Kuechly did not miss any time from 2018-19, the former first-round pick indicated he had considered retirement for a while. The Cincinnati native said he wants to continue playing but knows coming back for a ninth season would not have been the best course of action.
“In my heart I know it’s the right thing to do,” Kuechly said (video link). “… There’s only one way to play this game since I was a little kid – play fast, play physical and play strong. And at this point I don’t know if I am able to do that anymore.”
One of the best players in the Panthers’ 25-year history, Kuechly has anchored Carolina defenses since being selected in the 2012 first round. He started all 118 games in which he played and led the Panthers to four playoff berths from 2013-17. Kuechly broke up J.J. Watt‘s string of defensive player of the year honors, winning the award in 2013. Two years later, he spearheaded Carolina’s 15-1 season and run to Super Bowl 50. Kuechly tore one of his shoulder labrums late that season but played through the injury and started in each of Carolina’s three playoff games, making 10 tackles and sacking Peyton Manning in the Super Bowl. But concussion issues obviously overshadow any other malady the Boston College product overcame.
The Panthers middle linebacker missed three games because of his 2015 concussion and one after suffering a head injury in 2017. However, the concussion he suffered on national television in November 2016 ended his season and indicated this may well be a long-term concern for the stalwart defender. While Kuechly racked up two All-Pro seasons after that hiatus, he will prioritize his health instead of playing into his 30s.
No linebacker whose career began in the 21st century has more first-team All-Pro honors than Kuechly’s five. Patrick Willis, who also opted to leave the game after eight seasons, accumulated five such distinctions. Bobby Wagner, who joined Kuechly in the 2012 draft, does as well. No other Panthers player earned more than two first-team All-Pro honors. Kuechly began his career with three 150-tackle seasons and will finish with 1,092 — the most in the NFL since 2012. He added 18 interceptions — the most among linebackers since 2012. He will almost certainly end up in the Hall of Fame.
Two years remained on Kuechly’s five-year, $61.8MM contract. Agreed to in 2015, Kuechly’s deal represented the standard for off-ball linebackers for a time. C.J. Mosley and Wagner transformed that market in 2019, and Kuechly could have been expected to top his peers’ $17MM-plus-AAV deals if he chose to. Instead, he will walk away from a $10.3MM salary in 2020.
The Panthers will have seen their longtime linebacker tandem of Kuechly and Thomas Davis depart in consecutive years. The team recently gave Shaq Thompson a lucrative extension; the 2015 first-round pick will slide into a centerpiece role for Matt Rhule‘s team.
Panthers, LB Luke Kuechly Restructure Contract
The Panthers have converted $9.05MM of star linebacker Luke Kuechly‘s 2019 salary into a bonus, per ESPN’s Field Yates (via Twitter). The move will create an additional $7.24MM of cap space, which is quite significant given that Carolina was only operating with about $1.34MM in cap room prior to the restructure.
This marks the second year in a row that the Panthers have given Kuechly cash upfront in order to create cap space, which can be a dangerous strategy. But Kuechly, who will turn 28 in two days, remains one of the best linebackers in the league and is coming off his fifth First Team All-Pro bid. Considering his importance to the team both now and for the foreseeable future, these reworkings are likely not too difficult for Carolina to stomach.
The team now has some much-needed flexibility heading into next week’s draft, and their newfound cap space will allow the Panthers to re-enter the free agent market should they be unable to fill their remaining needs with collegiate prospects. Plus, their release of Matt Kalil earlier this offseason will add another $7.25MM to their coffers once the calendar flips to June 1.
Kuechly is under contract through 2021.
Panthers Rework Luke Kuechly’s Contract
The Panthers have restructured star linebacker Luke Kuechly‘s contract by converting $6.8MM of his salary into a signing bonus, per ESPN’s Field Yates (Twitter link). The move gives Kuechly, who is coming off his fourth First Team All-Pro nod, a nice influx of cash while also creating $5.1MM of cap space for Carolina this year.
Kuechly remains under club control through 2021, and while teams generally do not like to convert salary into signing bonus, as it makes it more difficult to cut ties with a player before his contract expires, it seems unlikely that Carolina will want to move on from Kuechly anytime soon. Although the Boston College product has missed a number of games due to concussions, and although he has had surgery on both of his shoulders — indeed, he has not played a full 16-game season since 2014 — he remains the best inside linebacker in the game.
The 27-year-old will once again anchor the middle of the Panthers’ defense in 2018. Carolina made the playoffs last season and is hoping for a return trip this year, but the team’s offensive line is a major cause for concern at the moment. Indeed, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com reports (via Twitter) that LT Matt Kalil is likely to miss at least the first three games of the regular season, and the Panthers have already placed RT Daryl Williams on injured reserve. Plus, left guard Amini Silatolu is dealing with a torn meniscus.
As such, Carolina could use some of its newfound cap space on an offensive lineman or two, and it could also look to upgrade its backup QB and safety situation. Theoretically, the Panthers could also look into an extension for wide receiver Devin Funchess.