We all saw the end of Greg Olsen’s time in Charlotte coming – and while we don’t want to admit it, Cam Newton’s release had a few months of preamble as well. What we didn’t expect, however, was for Luke Kuechly’s career to end so soon.
Let’s put it into perspective: Kuechly retired from the game he loved before even turning 29. Perhaps inspired by Andrew Luck’s sudden decision to walk away from playing professional football or perhaps just realizing that he couldn’t play the game the same way, Kuechly shocked the NFL world by retiring while still in his prime.
And what a prime it was.
Kuechly is just one of two players in NFL history to win Defensive Rookie of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year in back-to-back seasons (joining Hall of Famer Lawrence Taylor), winning the award when he was just 22! From 2013 onwards, Kuechly made the Pro Bowl every season for the rest of his career, making the trip seven times – as well as earning First Team All-Pro five times and Second Team All-Pro twice.
Among these accomplishments, Kuechly led the league in tackles twice, was awarded the 2017 Art Rooney award for outstanding sportsmanship, and was an NFC Champion in 2015. And just this week, he was named to the All-Decade Team for the 2010s at the linebacker position.
The NFL’s 2010s All-Decade Team Defense! pic.twitter.com/kRyIiiuTEH
— NFL (@NFL) April 6, 2020
However, all these achievements came at a price, with Kuechly sustaining three concussions over the course of his career.
With guys like Andrew Luck and Rob Gronkowski hanging it up at or just before turning 30, Kuechly joins a breed of incredible talents to leave the game at a young age. It’s not like he has anything left to prove to the Panthers – he has more than enough of a resumé to join his former teammate and fellow All-Decade defender Julius Peppers in Canton’s glorious Pro Football Hall of Fame in a few years.
Needless to say, Luke Kuechly was the Panthers’ defense’s answer to Cam Newton – the quarterback of a defense that elevated the group into top ten seasons and earned QB money without anyone blinking an eye. And as such, there’s countless legendary performances and incredible moments where the linebacker was at the top of his game and the very best at his position.
So which game stands out as Kuechly’s finest moment? You might be thinking his 21-tackle performance in 2013 against the Saints with the NFC South title on line, but I’m going to go further and bring an alternate take.
Let’s go back to 2015 on Thanksgiving Day against the Cowboys. Josh Klein took a walk down memory lane last year, talking to players in the locker room about what it was like on that day – but let’s take a look at the tape to see just how good the Panthers defensive QB was in Dallas.
During this nationally televised game, Kuechly recorded seven tackles, two pass disruptions, and two interceptions (including a pick-six). You won’t see him make the most tackles of his career, but you will see a linebacker at his very best.
Kuechly wastes no time making an immediate impact in this game. Early in the first quarter, he plays a vital role in the Panthers’ first defensive score of the game despite not even touching the ball.
As you can see, Tony Romo is looking to throw to the receiver in the flat running a curl route. There’s just one problem: If he throws it there, Kuechly is bound to intercept the pass and take it to the house.
With this in mind, Romo changes direction and fires this down the middle of the field…
…into the arms of Kurt Coleman, who takes it the distance anyway.
Kuechly’s positioning here is crucial to the collapse of this play. With his initial read disrupted and the pocket caving in on him, he was forced to get rid of this pass and Coleman took full advantage with one of two defensive touchdowns in his career – both with Carolina.
Now here’s where Kuechly becomes the main culprit of a disastrous day for the Cowboys offense.
Late in the first half, on the very first play of this drive…
…Kuechly is back in zone coverage. During this, he notices receiver Terrance Williams crossing the field and prepares to make one of the most brilliant plays of his storied career.
This is just outstanding coverage.
Kuechly has always had the speed and the vision needed to play as a coverage linebacker, but here he takes it to a higher level. He plays Romo’s pass just right, waiting until he fires away to strike and take the ball the other way for the defense’s second pick six of the night. Once more, just for fun:
This would also be the first of three pick sixes for Kuechly in the 2015 season, with the final two coming in the Divisional and Championship Round. And in terms of takeaways, Kuechly had another one coming on the way.
This time Kuechly is assigned on future Hall of Fame tight end Jason Witten on the first play from scrimmage following the linebacker’s pick-six.
Kuechly is in pursuit of Witten as the two cross the middle of the field, and Romo (keep in mind he was nursing an injured left shoulder at the time) assumed he had a shot at a perfect tight window throw to his target.
Kuechly had other plans, running Witten’s route for him and recording an interception for the second straight pass play and second straight from the line of scrimmage.
As soon as Witten begins to break toward the middle of the field is when Kuechly understands to turn his head around back to the quarterback. It goes without saying that he has the quickness and instincts to keep up with the Cowboys tight end, and it’s yet another terrific play on defense for the superstar.
The takeaways ended after this, but Kuechly’s impact on the outcome did not. The Panthers send a three-man rush and drop three guys back, Luke included.
In zone coverage again, Kuechly spots this Cowboys receiver (yellow arrow) crossing the field on a slant pattern.
And wouldn’t you know it, Romo is looking said receiver’s way. As aforementioned, Kuechly does not have the chance to record yet another takeaway, but shutting down this option forces Romo to hold onto the ball longer in the pocket, resulting in the quarterback taking a coverage sack – one that would actually knock him out for the game and the rest of the season.
Notice Kuechly’s quick hip movement as the receiver cuts on the slant route. This standout use of balance and athleticism largely helps the secondary contain any options Romo has downfield. It is – again – one of many great plays Kuechly had on the 2015 season and one of many on Turkey Day.
Losing Luke Kuechly in the prime of both his career and life is devastating for the Panthers defense, especially with the needs they already had coming into the offseason. But that just signifies how much Kuechly meant, how much he was able to mask, and how much he was willing to enhance and elevate this side of the ball into a hungry, dangerous unit – how different this defense looks in 2020 will go even further to cement Kuechly’s legacy.
Constantly compared to other elite linebackers Patrick Willis and Bobby Wagner – his teammates on the All-Decade Team – Kuechly was a step above most, if not all, at the position. He was embraced by Panthers fans and the rest of the league, becoming one of the most talked about and respected defensive players of the decade.
And in my opinion, he never looked better than he did that fateful Thanksgiving in 2015.
(Top Photo Via Brad Loper/Fort Worth Star-Telegram/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)
