We’re counting down the days until the Panthers open up the 2025 season!
In this series, we’ll be counting down until opening kickoff by running through the Panthers roster by jersey number. Today’s piece looks at the current and historical players to have ever donned No. 59 for the Carolina Panthers.
Current Player: retired (Luke Kuechly)
The number 59 is not currently worn by any Panthers player, nor will it ever be again. Luke Kuechly will likely be the first ever player inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame who spent his entire career in Carolina. While he did not get enough votes to get enshrined (80%) in his first year of eligibility this year, he is an automatic finalist next year after finishing in the top seven. Most people agree that it is only a matter of time for Kuechly.
Kuechly was drafted 9th overall by the Panthers in the 2012 NFL Draft. He immediately became an impact player, taking over the middle linebacker spot after Jon Beason sustained an injury. When Beason returned, the middle was Kuechly’s. And it would stay that way for almost a decade. Luke won the Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2012 and the Defensive Player of the Year in 2013. He made the NFL’s Top 100 list every year but his rookie season, topping out at 7th on the countdown following the Panthers 2015 trip to the Super Bowl. He was a seven time Pro Bowler and a five time First Team All-Pro despite only playing eight seasons in the NFL.
Kuechly finished his career with 1,092 combined tackles, 75 tackles for loss, 18 interceptions, seven forced fumbles, nine fumbles recovered, 12.5 sacks, a safety, and two defensive touchdowns (one fumble recovery and one interception). He compiled those stats while missing about 10 games due to various injuries including his well documented battle with concussions. In what is probably my saddest birthday memory of my entire life, Luke gave an emotional and heartfelt farewell to the game of football on January 14th, 2020.
Though his career was cut shorter than most would have liked, Luke included, Captain America will be visiting Canton soon enough. He joined the Panthers Ring of Honor in 2023, so no one else will ever don the 59 in black and process blue. I consider it an honor to have experienced his amazing career during my formative years of watching Panthers football. He and Cam Newton will always have a special place in my heart.
Notable Previous Players to Wear Number 59: n/a
No other player in Panthers history has ever come anywhere close to being “notable” while wearing 59. It’s Luke’s number, and always will be.
LUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUKE