National Football League

Panthers star Kuechly returns home in clash with Bengals

Published Oct. 9, 2014 6:48 p.m. ET

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CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- The last time Luke Kuechly suited up for a football game in Cincinnati, he was a senior at St. Xavier High and was considered to be a nice linebacker, but nothing really special. Nearly six years later, Kuechly returns as quite possibly the best defensive player in the NFL.

As a 17-year-old, he stood 6-foot-3 and weighed a slight 220 pounds. As the 44th-rated linebacker in the nation and 37th-ranked overall player in Ohio, Kuechly was being recruited by secondary BCS schools such as Duke, Boston College, Virginia and Stanford. Now, returning to Cincinnati to play football for the first time since choosing Boston College, the Carolina Panthers star is doing everything he can to downplay his return as a conquering hero.

"It's a football game," Kuechly said. "That's how I'm treating it. I don't think about that high school stuff.

"It's business as usual."

While he may be trying to squash any emotional uprising from within, there's little denying that it is indeed truly a big homecoming, whether he wants to recognize it or not. If nothing else, his father having secured well over 100 tickets for the game for family and friends should reinforce that.

After all, Kuechly has become the stuff of legend in his hometown.

As a lightly regarded high school player, Keuchly chose Boston College, became an All-American, was taken in the first round of the NFL, was named NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year and, in just his third year in the NFL, was named the Defensive Player of the Year.

Not bad for the 44th-ranked linebacker and three-star recruit.

"I'm not going to be too emotional, I don't think," Kuechly said. "Once the ball's kicked off, there's going to be a game. There's not going to be a whole lot of looking up into the stands and seeing who I know."

BELL PRACTICES

While the running back situation has been bleak for the Panthers with all the rash of injuries to the top four running backs, they've managed to fight their way through it as finding a running back is somewhat easier than finding able bodies at other positions.

Case in point: offensive tackle.

Carolina was extremely worried at the start of the week that it might not have a left tackle to line up against the Bengals. Well, at least not one that has any experience at that position. With backup Garry Williams out and Nate Chandler doing everything he can to get better playing his first season at right tackle, the news that starting left tackle Byron Bell had injured the big toe on his right foot and that he might not be able to play was concerning, to say the least.

However, Bell practiced Thursday at full speed and didn't miss a single snap with the first team, easing the worry of many.

"It's just my big toe," he said with a slight laugh. "We've all got pain. It's not going to keep me out of this game."

Bell said there's no concern at all that it could turn into something like turf toe, which has shortened many a career. He also said that there will be no extra help to thwart the pain.

"I'm not going to take any drugs," he said. "Just some Tylenol to keep the pain away."

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