A wise man once said that nobody messed with Luke Kuechly. Actually, that wise man used a much naughtier word than “messed,” but the sentiment is the same nonetheless.
In the latest episode of his YouTube show 4th & 1 with Cam Newton, Carolina Panthers legend Cam Newton recalled quite the story about his former teammate and good buddy—Luke August Kuechly. And of all the Luke stories we’ve heard, this one is easily amongst the Luke-iest.
Enjoy:
"Hall of Fame. Easy."@CameronNewton on why NOBODY f***ed with Luke Kuechly…even during practice. pic.twitter.com/cNk0eIcLDN
— 4thand1show (@4thand1show) March 15, 2024
Poor Devin Funchess.
Funchess, Kuechly and Newton shared a sideline from 2015 to 2018. The first of those seasons saw the Panthers blast their way to Super Bowl 50, winning 17 of their 18 games leading up to their eventual loss to the Denver Broncos.
The trio was also a part of the franchise’s last trip to the playoffs in 2017, when Carolina clinched a wild card berth at 11-5. Unfortunately, that bid for the Lombardi Trophy was also cut short—as they suffered a painful 31-26 defeat at the hands of the New Orleans Saints in the Wild Card Round.
But luckily for Funchess—and the rest of the league’s receivers, for that matter—Kuechly hasn’t had to hit anyone for a few years now.
