For Luke Kuechly, his choice for Pro Football Hall of Fame presenter was an easy one

Jun 21, 2026 at 12:12 PM

Darin Gantt

CINCINNATI — If all it was was a Father's Day present, it would have been a really nice one.

But if all it was was a gift, it wouldn't have meant nearly as much to either one of them.

But when Tom Kuechly slips on a new suit later this summer, he and his son will be able to look at it and know it was 35 years in the making, and took everything that each of them had, because neither of them is the type to do things halfway.

Luke Kuechly wanted his father to look sharp when he presented him at the Pro Football Hall of Fame enshrinement ceremony in August, so he asked him in the most Luke Kuechly way possible — with a meticulous plan executed at the precisely right moment, but also with a grin to let him know the fix was in.

"They got me," the elder Kuechly said recently, of the gesture that causes both of them to choke up a little when they talk about it. "He pulled a fast one."

Carolina Panthers Hall of Fame Enshrinee, Luke Kuechly visits the Pro Football Hall of Fame on Friday, April. 17, 2026 in Canton, OH.

The former Panthers linebacker had his parents join him in Canton, Ohio in April, when he made his site visit to prepare for induction weekend. Tom and Eileen Kuechly were standing there alongside in the back offices of the Hall as he tried on his actual gold jacket for any potential alternations, but as you might expect, there weren't any to make.

"No, that's perfect," the tailor said with a nod.

But during that weekend, there was a lot to do, and staffers from the Hall were moving the family from department to department to make all the plans for August.

"I forget where we were going next, but I got up to walk out, and Luke said, 'Dad, you want to get fitted for a suit?'" said the elder Kuechly, now retired from the family auto parts distribution business. "I wear a suit once a year. I'm not working anymore. I don't need it. Maybe twice a year if we're going to one of these benefit dinners or something. I don't know, I've got three suits. I don't need another suit. I'm good.

'He says, 'I know, why don't you just get measured up?' I said, 'I don't need a suit.' This is going on and going on. And finally, Eileen's behind me, she says, 'Just go ahead and get measured.'"

As with many Kuechly family transactions, when Eileen spoke, that was that.

"She's the boss," Luke said of his mother, with a nod that comes from years of experience.

"Then later that day, he says to me, 'The reason I wanted you to get measured is because you're going to be my presenter," Tom said. "All right. What does that mean? That's what I mean by they got me."

For Luke Kuechly, this was an easy decision, made almost as soon as he received the news of his election from former teammate Julius Peppers, with his family surrounding them.

Who better to present him at the Hall of Fame than the guy who was by his side for so many milestones? This is, after all, the guy who taught him how to hunt and fish, and more importantly, how to consider the needs of others ahead of your own, and how to follow through on your promises.

A visit to Luke Kuechly’s childhood home in Cincinnati, OH Thursday, Jun 11, 2026.

He's pretty composed, this Luke Kuechly guy, and he's done enough talking during and after his playing career that he knows how to deliver a message. But get him talking about his parents, and the tone drops, you can tell it's serious, and you can tell exactly how much it means to him. It's more than the words; it's the spaces between the words, which tend to stretch out, adding gravity to the moment.

Luke Kuechly wants to make sure everything's just right, so asking him to describe his parents' impact on his life has to be done just so, and he's careful in the words he chooses.

"I just think that my parents are, ... all they care about is being good people," he began. "And making sure that, like when we were kids, making sure that my brothers and I had everything we needed and got to and from everything we needed. Can we get the football practice, we have stuff to eat what are we having for breakfast, am I getting picked up? They're at all of our activities.

"They're examples to look at. How do you treat people? How do you act? How do you work hard? How do you put other people in front of yourself? We didn't need to look anywhere for anything other than what our parents did, and how they treated each other, too. How they treated other people, to how they treated their family, how they treated us to how they treated the guy on the side of the street. They set the example for my brothers and me of what's acceptable and how to treat people. And there was nothing that my brothers and I ever needed growing up,

"So I mean, it's pretty straightforward. It's not a hard decision of who's going to be your presenter, right? I think it was always my dad. I feel like that's like a father-son thing."

If you're suddenly reaching for something to dab at your eyes, congratulations, you now have something in common with Tom Kuechly.

He's very together, buttoned up in ways that have nothing to do with his new suit. But from time to time, when he's talking about his middle son, he'll reach his right hand into his back pocket to produce a handkerchief.

He might not have realized it that afternoon in Canton when his son asked, but when he thinks about it now, you can tell it's landing on him in a different way.

"It was one of those things that, Oh, OK, I'll do what you want me to do, but what does it really mean?" Tom said. "It kind of hits you later."

And with time to reflect and think about the moment when he'll help his son unveil the bronze bust that comes with the honor, the elder Kuechly paused to write a few words.

Tom Kuechly is seen during a visit to Luke Kuechly’s childhood home in Cincinnati, OH Thursday, Jun 11, 2026.

Dear Luke,

As I think about you and your accomplishments on the football field and your upcoming enshrinement into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, I am certainly proud of and happy for you to receive this honor.

I never dreamed that one of my sons would ever accomplish something like the Hall of Fame.

You are now amongst a very lofty group of me. I am sure you will make your fellow enshrinees glad to have you as part of their group.

You have been blessed with talent and ability. Remember those who helped you develop that talent and ability. And remember to help others who need it.

Congratulations on your Hall of Fame induction!

Keep Pounding!

I remain very proud to be your Father.

Love,

Dad.

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Carolina Panthers Hall of Fame Enshrinee, Luke Kuechly visits the Pro Football Hall of Fame on Friday, April. 17, 2026 in Canton, OH.