Luke Kuechly Becomes NFL’s Highest Paid Linebacker

Photo Credit: Jeremy Brevard/US Presswire

Luke Kuechly has been making an impact since he joined the Carolina Panthers and his latest contract really shows the team’s appreciation. This new contract makes Kuechly the highest paid middle linebacker in NFL history and he’s only 24 years old. His 5-year contract for $62 million dollars comes at the perfect time because his rookie contract would have been set for renewal at the end of this season.

Kuechly is the second Panthers player to get a big contract after Cam Newton’s new contract which made him the highest paid Panthers QB ever. With Kuechly and Newton both under contract, it looks like the Panthers could have a solid season. Even if the Panthers didn’t have Newton under contract, Kuechly would have killed it by himself.

About to enter his fourth season in the NFL, Kuechly’s stats and awards have only seemed to make him work harder. Kuechly has won the NFL Defensive Player of the Year award along with NFL Defensive Rookie Of the Year, is a 2-time Pro-Bowler and was ranked #14 in the NFL’s top 100 players. On the field, though, Kuechly really shows why he deserves all the praise that he gets especially with 473 combined tackles, 7 interceptions and 4 recovered fumbles. In his time in the NFL, Kuechly has not missed a single game and hopefully  2015 won’t be any different.

Kuechly is never too far from the field though even during his own press conference. Kuechly joked that his press conference was really cutting into his preparation time, “I haven’t been able to watch as much [film] today as I normally do, But luckily I’ve got some time left that I can grab something to eat, go sit in there and see what’s going on with Jacksonville.” However, Panthers LB Thomas Davis praised Kuechly after his contract, “It’s like one of those things when you look at what Tom Brady does for the Patriots. That’s Luke to us. That’s how I view him.” Certainly, that same excitement over Kuechly is echoed throughout the Panthers organization if his contract is any indication!