One of the ACC’s best defensive players of the 2000s has been nominated for the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Luke Kuechly, a former Boston College linebacker, was nominated for the Pro Football Hall of Fame as part of the 167-man modern era candidate class. Kuechly earned NFL Defensive Player of the Year honors in 2013. According to Schefter, Kuechly ranked No. 1 among NFL linebackers in tackles (1,090), takeaways (26), interceptions (18) and passes defensed (66) over his career.
“A screening committee will reduce the list of nominees to 50 players next month,” said ESPN’s Adam Schefter. “Then the full 50-person selection committee will cut the list down to 25 semifinalists and then 15 finalists for the annual meeting before the Super Bowl that will produce the new class. Players must get 80% of votes to get in. Under the Hall of Fame’s bylaws, between three to five players can get in as modern era candidates.”
Kuechly earned seven Pro Bowl nods after being picked No. 9 overall in the 2012 NFL Draft by the Carolina Panthers. In three seasons with Boston College, Kuechly earned two All-America selections. He won the Nagurski Award, the Butkus Award, and the Lombardi Award in 2011.
Kuechly was the leading tackler in college football history up until 2022, and is already a member of the College Football Hall of Fame.
This year’s list includes several other big-name linebacker nominees.
LINEBACKERS (20): Jessie Armstead, Brendon Ayanbadejo, Cornelius Bennett, Lance Briggs, Keith Brooking, NaVorro Bowman, Tedy Bruschi, Donnie Edwards, James Farrior, London Fletcher, James Harrison, Luke Kuechly, Willie McGinest (also DE), Ken Norton Jr., Julian Peterson, Bill Romanowski, Takeo Spikes, Terrell Suggs, Mike Vrabel, Lee Woodall.
