3 ways Luke Kuechly’s retirement will impact the Panthers

Carolina Panthers Impact No. 2: Leadership

Another big impact of Luke Kuechly’s retirement from the Carolina Panthers is the leadership he brought to the table. The player made his presence felt on the field and within the locker room from the word go. And this was despite plenty of prominent veterans occupying positions on the roster.

Kuechly got to learn what it takes to be a leader at the next level from Thomas Davis. And this is something he took on with aplomb. He normally let his play do the talking to lead by example. But if a particular player needed assistance or wasn’t pulling their weight. Then he would be the first to try and motivate them.

Tahir Whitehead isn’t going to bring this sort of dimension to the Panthers. And having Kuechly around for one more season would have done this young roster the world of good.

Having such an iconic figure to call upon for advice and guidance during the difficult times would have been an immense asset. But the onus will now be on others to step up and fill the role.

Few could match Kuechly’s passion for the game. This might have contributed to a concussion or two as he threw himself into every tackle with reckless abandon. However, this was all part of what made the player so good.

Kuechly’s retirement might have been in keeping with the direction that Carolina has gone during this offseason in terms of removing veteran players from the organization. But it does not make him any easier to replace.