As a gift before his Hall of Fame induction this summer, Luke Kuechly's family presented him with a book of letters written by friends and family and teammates and coaches. And they took the same great care he did.

The team placed the special teamer on IR because of a calf injury, and brought back the former South Carolina linebacker.

Bates was recognized as an All-Decade player of the 1990s, one of just four Panthers to ever earn that distinction, along with Luke Kuechly, Julius Peppers, and Kevin Greene.

From quarterback questions to two offenses playing in very different ways, here are five things to watch as the Panthers take on the Bucs in a Week 7 divisional matchup.

The Panthers linebacker has impacted the game of football, and so many people along the way. And so many of them have stories to tell. Here are 59 of them.

The Buccaneers announced that quarterback Baker Mayfield was good to go this week, which the Panthers expected. Plus more on Monroe Freeling's progress, and how cornerbacks Jaycee Horn and Mike Jackson are doing.

Fans can watch the game on FOX and listen live on the radio in the Panthers regional area.

The Panthers will don the black, blue, black combination for the second time this season, bringing back a proven divisional winner.

The Panthers will be without outside linebackers Jaelan Phillips and Thomas Incoom this week, and rookie tackle Monroe Freeling is listed as questionable after practicing fully all week.

The two rookie defensive backs made a pact this spring to the best rookie duo in the league. They're on track, breaking records and playing with a "violence" that is already helping the Panthers win games.

The Panthers defensive tackle doesn't love coming off the field at all, but he understands there's a strategy behind it. So if that means playing (only) 69 percent of the snaps instead of 90 percent, that's a sacrifice he's (grudgingly) willing to make.