Luke Kuechly tells Pat McAfee how the Carolina Panthers were rebuilt

The Panthers are playing meaningful football in December for the first time in eight years. That didn't happen overnight.

Nov 24, 2024; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Former Carolina Panthers linebacker Luke Kuechly on the sidelines before the game at Bank of America Stadium. | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

The 2025 Carolina Panthers may be maddeningly inconsistent, having won and then lost their next game eight weeks running.

While that's a frustrating dynamic to watch, it's also a massive improvement over what Carolina fans had become accustomed to since the end of the 2017 season, which is more like one step forward, seven steps back rather than the one forward, one back they have going right now.

If you're looking for someone to credit for their improvement, look no further than general manager Dan Morgan - who raised what was arguably the worst roster in the league a couple years ago to a potential playoff team today. That improvement didn't happen overnight, though.

Here's Panthers legend Luke Kuechly breaking down how the team got rebuilt in his appearance on the Pat McAfee show yesterday.

Luke Kuechly on Panthers rebuild

"The Carolina Panthers have been very particular with how they've built the team..

Tre'von Moehrig who we brought over from the Raiders has helped us a ton..

I think Dan Morgan and Dave Tepper have done a really good job" ~ @LukeKuechly #PMSLive pic.twitter.com/0WDJXdJGn7

— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) December 17, 2025

Morgan's record isn't perfect, to be sure. The biggest blemish so far has been the 2024 draft class, which may net a grand total of zero long-term starters given the way that group is developing.

However, Morgan has also put together two high-quality free agent periods in a row, transforming the Panthers' interior offensive line from a liability to a strength and finding a diamond-in-the-rough superstar in Rico Dowdle and a major safety upgrade in Tre'Von Moehrig.

Morgan's crowning achievement is the team's stellar 2025 draft class, which was not only one of the best drafts around the league this year - but may go down as the best in franchise history if it can age bette than the legendary class of 2017.

The next challenges for Morgan and his team are to improve what has been the worst pass rush in the NFL for three years running and keep building up the supporting cast around Bryce Young.

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