Luke Kuechly played eight outstanding seasons with the Panthers before surprising many fans and retiring in 2020 at age 28.
The seven-time Pro Bowl linebacker was able to slowly transition from the playing field by scouting one season for the Panthers. Kuechly even now stays close to the game by coaching football to 12-year-olds during the fall.
Kuechly earlier this month spoke to the New York Times about his own health; changes in the game; and advice he gives to parents of young players.
- (On retiring from the NFL at age 28): “Barry Sanders stepped way a couple of years early. Calvin Johnson obviously stepped away. Gronk stepped away. I think it just happens at a different point for everybody.”
- (Does he worry about his own long term cognitive health?): “I’m not worried about it, but I’m very aware of it. I’ve done a lot of homework since I got done playing. I’ve talked to a lot of people. I’m very aware of like ‘Hey, there are certain things you can do that are going to be beneficial and you might as well take advantage of it.’ I think the biggest thing for me is a healthy lifestyle. Eat well, sleep well, exercise, be outside, have good relationships with people. Keep your mind active.”
- (Did he cringe when he saw the injuries to Tua Tagovailoa last year?): “No. The biggest thing for me is I just want guys to be safe. I want guys to have the opportunity to play the game they love as long as they can. But I think everybody understands it’s a violent game….it’s physical…it’s tough…getting hurt is kind of inevitable.”
- (On changes he saw during his Panthers career in NFL awareness on head injuries): “I think everything in the NFL has such a microscope on it, really, a lot of time in a positive way. There is a very stringent return to play policy, number one. Number two, there are independent spotters at every game at every stadium, and there’s multiple people whose sole job is to watch the game to see if anybody gets hit or acts abnormal. So the NFL, I think, has done a very good job of trying to keep the players safe on the field and give them the opportunity to be safe in their return to play as well.”
- (What advice do you give the parents of the 12-year-olds you coach or who may want to play?): “I tell a lot of people: ‘Hey, you do what you think is best for your child. You’re the parent. You ultimately know what’s best for them.’ I just talk about the positives of our sport, whether it’s what I’ve learned about toughness, how to fight through tough things, how to build relationships, the people that I’ve met through the games, and the experiences I’ve had with the game.”
We at NFL Alumni are pleased to have Luke Kuechly, a very thoughtful young man, as one of our members.
