Why did Luke Kuechly retire?

Luke Kuechly's decision to retire in January stunned the football community, but it was the right move for his health.

Kuechly suffered three concussions, the usual threshold at which it's time to consider retirement, just eight years into his NFL career.

Many ex-footballers suffer from Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy, a dangerous ailment brought on by repetitive head trauma. This was a significant factor in Kuechly's decision to quit. He hoped to reduce his risk of developing this illness by giving up playing.

In a clip from the linebacker's room at the Carolina Panthers' club facility in Charlotte, Kuechly said, "It's never the appropriate moment to step away, but now is the right time for me. It's a difficult choice. I've given it a lot of thought. I think this is the right moment for me to move on.

"This saddens me because I adore playing this game and have done so since I was a young child. It's my absolute favorite activity. I'll never forget my experiences playing on the pitch with these men and being a part of this place and organization."

Luke Kuechly's concussion history

Shortly before turning 29, Kuechly announced his retirement. Even though he played a decent amount in his last season in 2019, previous injuries had a negative impact.

He missed three games in September 2015 because of the initial head injury.

The second one, a Grade 3 concussion in November 2016, was the worst because it prevented him from playing in the remaining six games of that season. Kuechly was tackled by New Orleans Saints running back Tim Hightower late in the game. When he fell, he had trouble breathing from the jolt of the blow.

He followed the protocol from the third one in October 2017 and suited up for the next game.

At Boston College, he was known as a "tackling machine." He called time on his career with 1,092 tackles, the most since 2012.

More about Luke Kuechly

At Boston College, Kuechly was twice named a unanimous All-American.

All eight years of Luke Kuechly's career were spent with the Carolina Panthers. In the 2012 NFL Draft, the Panthers selected him ninth overall.

As the league's leading tackler in his rookie campaign, Kuechly earned the Associated Press' 2012 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year honor, making him the third-youngest winner in history. He also won the AP NFL Defensive Player of the Year Award, the award's youngest winner.

In 2015, Pro Football Focus named him the best covering defender overall, a prestigious distinction for someone playing that position.

Luke Kuechly was widely regarded as the best linebacker in the league in 2017.

Throughout his time in the NFL, he was regularly rated among the top 100 footballers in the league. He consistently ranked among the top coverage players.