Luke Kuechly Elected to Pro Football Hall of Fame
2011 Lott IMPACT® Trophy winner is first in Lott Trophy history to be chosen for Canton.
NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. — Feb. 9, 2026 — Luke Kuechly, the 2011 winner of the Lott IMPACT® Trophy, has been elected into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in his second year of eligibility. Kuechly is the first winner of the Lott Trophy to join the award’s namesake, Ronnie Lott, with enshrinement in Canton.
Kuechly led the nation in tackles twice while at Boston College, before making an immediate impact in the NFL. The ninth overall selection by the Carolina Panthers was named NFL Rookie of the Year in 2012, the next year he was selected as the leagues Defensive Player of the Year, was named All-Pro and was picked for the Pro Bowl. Kuechly would ultimately be chosen All-Pro five times and to the Pro Bowl seven times before his retirement in 2019. Kuechly was also named to the NFLs All-Decade team for the 2010s.
Other members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Class of 2026 include Drew Brees, Roger Craig, Larry Fitzgerald, and Adam Vinatieri.
Fellow Hall of Famer and Panthers legend Julius Peppers informed Kuechly of his selection. Peppers was drafted in 2002, two years prior to the inception of the Lott Trophy.
JJ Watt was the 2010 winner of the Lott IMPACT Trophy, he will become eligible for the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s class of 2028.