To this day, Cam Newton has Luke August Kuechly’s back.
While taking fan questions during the taping of the latest episode of 4th & 1 with Cam Newton, the Carolina Panthers legend talked about his former teammate’s exclusion from this year’s Pro Football Hall of Fame class. Newton was asked if he thinks Kuechly, who was in his first year of eligibility, was robbed of the elite first-ballot status.
“That one hit me,” Newton replied. “I do. I do. Because if we’re talking about body of work, first ballot, I think Luke deserved that. He has everything that any defensive player would ever want, career-wise.
“The respect—he has that. The accolades—he has that, Defensive Player of the Year . . . All-Pros, Pro Bowls, those type of things. Just leading the league in tackles, and just his impact—it was something that anybody would respect. And, yeah, that was one of those ones that I said, ‘Yeah, I think he got robbed.”
https://t.co/v73sFYIsl2 pic.twitter.com/cOavROJT22
— 4th&1 with Cam Newton (@4thand1show) February 17, 2025
Kuechly was teammates with Newton for each of his eight NFL seasons. Over that time, the well-respected linebacker captured the 2012 Defensive Rookie of the Year award, the 2013 Defensive Player of the Year award, five first-team All-Pro nods, two second-team All-Pro nods and seven Pro Bowl selections.
Given that he finished in the top seven of the voting for the 2025 class, Kuechly will automatically be a finalist for the 2026 class.