Kuechly Retires, Brady (Not That One) to the Panthers, Bourbonnais Thoughts, AD’s Decision, and Other Bears Bullets

The first impressions of my new mattress are good, though I’m curious if I feel this way because I spent the night before sleeping on a couch. I suppose it’ll take some time before I break it in and get fully comfortable. Here’s hoping it happens soon, as I have sleep to catch up on.

  • Carolina Panthers all-world linebacker Luke Kuechly, 28, announced his retirement from football on Tuesday night in this video message:
  • That Kuechly wants to keep playing, but knows stepping away from the game is the right thing to do ties me in knots. So I can’t even begin to imagine how he feels having to make this announcement.
  • Kuechly was a star of stars among inside linebackers. His résumé is nothing short of impeccable. Seven Pro Bowl appearances. First-team All-Pro five times. Won the league’s Defensive Rookie of the Year award in 2012, then followed it up by earning the league’s Defensive Player of the Year award one year later. Kuechly wraps up his career with 1,092 total tackles, 75 tackles-for-loss, 18 interceptions, 12.5 sacks, 7 forced fumbles, 9 recoveries, 2 defensive touchdowns, and 1 safety. For my money, he was the best inside linebacker I have seen play since Brian Urlacher hung ’em up. And my guess is that Kuechly’s next stop will be at the Hall of Fame in Canton.
  • Kuechly’s retirement comes at such a young age, in part, because he has had three documented concussions. That’s significant. Head injuries are nothing to play with. And as we have evolved as a society, I’m glad we are starting to realize that some things are bigger than football. Don’t get me wrong, I love the game. But I don’t love reading about players whose lives are cut short because of the game they play. So if a player comes to the realization that it is time to cut their career short, I can respect that decision.
  • One last Baldy package for the road:
  • The surprising announcement of the retirement and knowing Kuechly’s concussion history had me thinking about Bears receiver Taylor Gabriel. Last year, Gabriel, also 28, missed seven games due to concussion issues. Gabriel now has four documented concussions in his career, which is serious. Hence, the Bears taking every precaution at the end of last season when it came to his status on the injury report. I tip my cap to the Bears for playing it safe there.
  • Elsewhere in Panthers land:
  • There is going to be so much fresh blood in Carolina when the Bears and Panthers square off in 2020.
  • In case you missed it, two more Bears legends are heading to the Pro Football Hall of Fame:
  • https://www.instagram.com/p/B7V8gx4FxUD/

    https://www.instagram.com/p/B7V83xOFScQ/

  • Chicago’s football team is well represented in Canton:
  • https://www.instagram.com/p/B7V_Ghul4I6/

  • So … who’s next? If I had to guess, these Bears (in order) have the best chance to make the Hall of Fame: Devin Hester, Charles Tillman, Olin Kreutz, Lance Briggs.
  • The Bears are leaving their training camp home in Bourbonnais for the sparkling, state-of-the-art facility at Halas Hall. And while this is probably the right move from a team perspective, I don’t love that it’s happening. Training camp in Bourbonnais was a place for players to bond away from the plush NFL life. It was also a place where fans from all sorts of different areas came together to link up.
  • I shared some thoughts regarding the move in a thread last night:
  • I’m glad the Bears still plan on having some open practices that will be free. But those practices (and the number of people who will be able to see them) figure to be limited. And from a fan’s perspective, I hate the idea of closing affordable (in this case free) ways to reach out to fans. Because, let’s face it, not everyone can afford (whether it is with time or money) to attend one of the eight home games at Soldier Field. Free practices on the campus of Olivet Nazarene University in Bourbonnais gave something to people who couldn’t get elsewhere. Surely, that is going to be missed on some level.
  • And to be totally fair, I 100 percent get why the Bears are doing it. Everyone else in the league is following this trend. And it makes perfect sense to train year-round in a facility with top-notch rehabilitation space, workout areas, and dining options. For the players, it’s great. No denying that.
  • Akiem Hicks hit us with a throwback:
  • The last calendar year for Anthony Davis has been one full of moments in which he antagonizes his home fans:
  • And yet, all will be forgiven if he decided to play for the Bulls when he becomes a free agent. Because Chicago, if anything, is a forgiving town when it comes to extremely talented professional athletes.
  • written by

    Luis C. Medina, who you can find on Twitter at lcm1986, has been covering the Chicago Bears at Bleacher Nation since 2017. Since then, he has written about 3 head coaches, 5 play-callers, and 11 starting quarterbacks. Previously, Luis wrote about the Cubs and MLB at BN (2015-16) and worked in the Chicago Tribune sports department (2011-16). He also co-hosted a Cubs postgame show, Outside the Ivy, in 2019.

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