In a sudden announcement Tuesday evening, Panthers linebacker Luke Kuechly said that he is retiring from the NFL.
In a video lasting more than three minutes, Kuechly explained the rationale behind his decision.
"In my heart, I know it's the right thing to do...There's only one way to play this game since I was a little kid, to play fast, to play physical to play strong. And at this point I don't know if I'm able to do that anymore," he said. "And that's the part that's most difficult. I still want to play, but I don't think it's the right decision.