Panthers Icon Luke Kuechly Faces Major Disrespect Ahead of HOF Induction

Luke Kuechly enters the HOF this week but was left off a list he qualifies for

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Finally, the week arrives when former Carolina Panthers inside linebacker Luke Kuechly will have his name etched alongside the greatest to play the game. Kuechly enters the Pro Football Hall of Fame this upcoming Saturday alongside other greats like QB Drew Brees, WR Larry Fitzgerald, RB Roger Craig, and kicker Adam Vinatieri.

A clear Hall of Famer and arguably the best player in franchise history for the Panthers. Even so, Kuechly still found himself being disrespected as recently as this past week.

NFL Analyst Snubs Kuechly from Top 100 Players Ever List

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CBS Sports' Bryan DeArdo dropped his list of the 100 greatest players in NFL history on Thursday morning. Kuechly was not mentioned on the list despite the marvelous career he had from beginning to end.

For context, Kuechly posted 1090 tackles, 18 interceptions, 12.5 sacks, and 7 forced fumbles. Those 18 interceptions from 2012 to 2019 are the most by a linebacker in NFL history for that time span. Another record that Kuechly set was the most single-game tackles with 24.

Due to Kuechly's massive success that Kuechly had, the Panthers linebacker was awarded the AP Defensive Player of the Year, 7 consecutive Pro Bowls, 5 first-team All-Pro selections, the AP Defensive Rookie of the Year, and, lastly, a spot on the NFL's All-Decade team for the 2010s.

All of those achievements, and yet Kuechly isn't a top-100 player ever. Feels like a crime hearing it out loud. Looking at the early portion of the list, there are certainly players who Kuechly should be over.

The most glaring player that Kuechly could be over is Lee Roy Selmon. Selmon was an outstanding defensive end for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but Kuechly's accolades are equal to, if not better than, Selmon's. In one fewer season, Kuechly had more career Pro Bowls and the same number of DPOY awards.

Kuechly doesn't have to be high on the list, but after a career demonstrating what a complete linebacker looks like, a complete omission is disrespectful.

Other Panthers Who Were Left Off the Top 100

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Not only did Kuechly not make this list, but no Carolina Panthers players did either. QB Cam Newton and EDGE Julius Peppers are two other names that stick out in Panthers lore. Newton certainly has a case, winning an NFL MVP and being in the running for the greatest rushing QB of all time.

The lack of longevity is what kills Newtons case, after the 2015 Super Bowl loss the production just wasn't the same.

Peppers has the second-best case amongst all-time Panthers. Already a Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee, Peppers was dominant throughout his career. The stats are mind boggling, Peppers posted 159.5 sacks, 52 forced fumbles, and 11 interceptions throuhgout his career.

Peppers is the only player in NFL history to record 150+ sacks and 10+ interceptions. Along with all those stats, Peppers had longevity, being named on both the 2000s and 2010s NFL All-Decade teams.