Not all leaders lead the same. Just ask, well, a leader.
Carolina Panthers legend Luke Kuechly hopped on Monday’s episode of Up & Adams. Host Kay Adams brought up the questions surrounding the leadership style of Bryce Young, who tends to be more low-key than your prototypical quarterback.
But Kuechly, who will be entering his third year as a Panthers radio voice, doesn’t seem concerned.
“I think when you look at leadership and what that looks like and what guys believe, I think you gotta be yourself,” he told Adams. “And I think ‘yourself’ naturally comes through as you get older, as you get more comfortable.
“That was one thing that all the older guys always told me, especially guys like Thomas [Davis]. I got to learn from a very good leader who was vocal. And he always told me, ‘Hey, be true to yourself.’ Whatever that true to yourself is, is who you need to be because guys on the team have been around long enough that they understand when you’re being who you are and when you’re putting on a front.”
A five-time First-team All-Pro, a seven-time Pro Bowler, a former Defensive Player of the Year and a future Hall of Famer, Kuechly was known to lead Carolina’s defense with a vocal and fiery approach. And even if that isn’t Bryce’s thing, Kuechly believes he’ll still find his voice.
“I think Bryce has to continue to be himself, continue to be comfortable,” he added. “I think that the vocal ability of Bryce just comes with time. You look at last season, how last season went—it was a struggle.
“But I always kinda go back to—what were these guys like in college? If you ask Will Anderson, ‘What was Bryce like in college?’ I don’t think there would’ve been any question if he was the leader of that team. There would’ve been no question if he was a guy that they felt like was vocal, a guy that they felt like was energy.
“I think Bryce is very intelligent. He watches a lot before he makes his move. I think he’s very thought-out, I think he does things on purpose. And yeah, he was quiet. But I think, moving forward, he’s gonna be fine.”
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