Carolina Panthers Injury Rumors: Luke Kuechly to Undergo Shoulder Surgery
Just imagine what Carolina Panthers star Luke Kuechly can do if he's playing a hundred percent — the middle linebacker reportedly suffered from a partially torn labrum at that very same moment when he made league history by becoming the first pro football player to return interceptions for touchdowns in successive playoff games.
According to multiple sources, Kuechly will be undergoing a surgery to fix that labrum on his left shoulder, suggesting that his participation in the team's activities, including the minicamp, is in doubt. But the good news is that the Pro-Bowler is expected to reach full recovery by the time the training camp begins sometime in July.
The injury was reportedly sustained in Week 17 of last season, particularly in a game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. It wasn't really a big issue at that time because he played through it, remarkably managing not to miss any practice time. He even played through the same injury during Super Bowl 50 against the eventual winner, the Denver Broncos.
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The 24-year-old budding star has been as healthy as a horse since getting picked in the first round by the Panthers back in 2012. In fact, he only missed a total of three games since turning pro and has been the team's leader in tackles last season and the three seasons before that.
He also was last season's league leader in tackles in the playoffs (29) and set the record for return inceptions for TDs in consecutive playoff games during the Panthers' victories over the Seattle Seahawks and the Arizona Cardinals. In their loss to the Broncos in the Super Bowl, he also registered 10 tackles and one sack.
Once he makes a full recovery before training camp, the Panthers will expect a completely healthy Kuechly by the start of the season. The former NFL Defensive Player of the Year is expected to once again lead Carolina to the top of the league.
