Legendary former Carolina Panthers linebacker Luke Kuechly was named to the Pro Football Hall of Fame class of 2026, becoming the second-youngest player to be enshrined in the Hall's history. It was a memorable night for fans, who were extremely disappointed that the perennial All-Pro didn't get in at the first time of asking.
Kuechly's honor was well-deserved, and it came a year late for most after he was unable to secure enough votes in his first year of eligibility in 2025. The wait was worth it, however, and now the focus turns to 2027 with first-year candidates already lined up for induction either next year or in the ones to come.
Iconic wide receiver Steve Smith Sr. has yet to be voted into Canton and could continue to wait. Yet one name in particular stood out amongst the newest eligible players for the class of 2027: former NFL MVP and one of the great mobile quarterbacks of all-time, Cam Newton.
Next year, he could have a chance to earn a shocking induction into Canton, Ohio.
Carolina Panthers fans shouldn't expect Cam Newton to be a first-ballot Hall of Famer
It's clear that Smith is due for his turn. The numbers throughout his career make too much sense for him to keep him out for much longer. It is not a matter of it, but when, for the former Triple Crown wide receiver and the best Panthers pass-catcher ever. However, Newton could shock the world with yet another Carolina-induced class.
Newton's argument for making the Pro Football Hall of Fame on his first try is simple: he has inspired many of today's starting quarterbacks in the NFL, including Jalen Hurts, Lamar Jackson, and Drake Maye. He was a standout both on and off the field in more ways than one; a larger-than-life being whose charisma and character shone through, whether people understood it or not.
The No. 1 pick in 2011 made a lasting impact on how the quarterback position is now played across all levels of the sport, from high school to the professional level. His physical gifts alone gave the Panthers a chance every week, a feeling that has not been felt since. Newton's MVP season in 2015 remains one of the pop-culture phenomena many bring up for nostalgia's sake.
The former legendary franchise signal-caller is easily the best in Panthers history and the tone-setter of mobile quarterbacks everywhere. Even so, Newton should not be a first-ballot Hall of Fame induction.
He simply does not have enough accolades or high-end production over the course of his career to be considered one. Newton may not get in for a few years, and it should be accepted that it could be a long time before he's enshrined.
That is okay, because for Panthers fans, the biggest honor now is that his relationship with the organization seems healed. There is a strong possibility he will be inducted into the team's Hall of Honor, hopefully alongside Kuechly, as soon as next season.
Fans can wait for this one, and there is no reason to be ashamed of that for what Newton has brought to the organization and the sport as a whole.