Carolina Panthers linebacker Frankie Luvu has had himself one hell of a summer, and it’ll probably end with a roster spot come Week 1 of the regular season. And for that, he gives a tip of the cap to another linebacker this particular franchise is rather familiar with.
After his electric performance in the team’s 20-3 preseason loss to the Baltimore Ravens, Luvu hit the podium to talk with reporters. There, he credited former Panther Kevin Greene as a key inspiration in his growth as a player.
“Coach [Phil] Snow always says just be around the ball,” Luvu said of what he’s trying to accomplish in his game. “They turn on the tape and you’re around the ball. And that’s kinda like a mindset of when I started playing under Kevin Greene, when he used to coach me. I kinda took that mindset and brought it over here. And just carried on with it.”
Luvu played under Greene in 2018 when the Pro Football Hall-of-Famer served as a linebackers coach for the New York Jets.
“It was a blessing,” he later said about playing on the same field Greene once roamed. “Having him coach me and passing his game around me as an undrafted kid. He kinda trusted me to come in and just trust his technique and fundamentals, and everything just falls in place.”
Greene played three seasons with Carolina, totaling 41.5 sacks and 149 combined tackles over just 47 games. He sits third on the NFL’s all-time sacks list, just half a sack ahead of another Panthers legend Julius Peppers. On Dec. 21, 2020, Greene’s family announced his passing at the age of 58.
This is undoubtedly a special time for Luvu, who wasn’t assured a stable position with Panthers when he signed on this offseason. Having this particular Carolina connection and getting to play the Jets in the season opener that he’ll very likely be apart of will just make it that more special.
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