Luke Kuechly

Panthers won't automatically shut down Luke Kuechly (concussion) for season

The Carolina Panthers are not shutting down middle linebacker Luke Kuechly (concussion), head coach Ron Rivera said.

What It Means:

"No. I’ll go along with what the doctors tell me," Rivera said. "That’s the truth of the matter." Rivera's implication being if Kuechly is cleared, he will return to the field this season. Whether that is the correct decision in a lost season is up for debate, but it ultimately might not matter after Kuechly failed to pass his final test with an independent neurologist on Saturday.

The Panthers' defense held the San Diego Chargers to -2.74 Net Expected Points on 20 attempts in Week 14, per numberFire Live. This was a game, however, that saw the Chargers lose their starting running back to a severe leg injury, so this isn't the best litmus test.