Luke Kuechly Considering Joining Panthers Front Office as Pro Scout

Luke Kuechly may have retired from playing in the NFL in January, but the seven-time Pro Bowl linebacker could return to the Carolina Panthers in a different role next season.  

Per Luke Voth of Panthers.com, Kuechly is considering taking a front-office role as a pro scout for the Panthers. 

Kuechly's decision to retire came as a surprise because he was only 28 years old at the time, but he dealt with significant injury concerns in the last few seasons of his career. 

In November 2016, Kuechly suffered a concussion in a game against the New Orleans Saints, which forced him to miss the final six games of the season as a result. 

Kuechly also missed three games during the 2015 season due to a concussion suffered in Week 1 against the Jacksonville Jaguars. 

"There's only one way to play this game since I was a little kid—play fast, play physical, play strong  And at this point, I don't know if I am able to do that anymore," Kuechly said in his retirement announcement. "That's the part that's most difficult. I still want to play, but I don't think it's the right decision."

A first-round pick by the Panthers in 2012, Kuechly became one of the best players in franchise history over the course of his eight-year career. He recorded over 100 combined tackles in eight straight seasons, was named to the All-Pro first team five times and won NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 2013.