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Luke Kuechly on Deflategate: It doesn’t matter

By Ryan Lehrman

Dec 28, 2014; Atlanta, GA, USA; Carolina Panthers middle linebacker Luke Kuechly (59) prepares for a game against the Atlanta Falcons at the Georgia Dome. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 28, 2014; Atlanta, GA, USA; Carolina Panthers middle linebacker Luke Kuechly (59) prepares for a game against the Atlanta Falcons at the Georgia Dome. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports /
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Carolina Panthers middle linebacker Luke Kuechly believes deflate gate is a non-issue and at the end of the day, the best team will win.

Two-time Pro Bowler Luke Kuechly chimed in on the Deflategate conversation in a FanSided interview sponsored by the DICK’s Sporting Goods Jersey Report, saying he believes an under-inflated football doesn’t matter because it won’t decide the outcome of the match.

“I think at the end of the game the best team is going to win. I don’t think it has too much of an impact with that situation,” Kuechly said.

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In the AFC Championship, the New England Patriots were accused of deflating 11 of their 12 footballs in their win over the Indianapolis Colts. With the Super Bowl fast approaching, the storm has yet to blow over. But Kuechly, despite admitting he’s not an expert on the subject, waves it off as a bunch of drivel.

“Obviously I don’t know too much about it,” Kuechly added. “The team that plays the best on Sunday is going to win.”

An argument to drive home Kuechly’s point: Look at the scoreboard in the AFC title game: a whopping 45-7.  If the game would’ve been decided by a field goal or even a touchdown, it would be a different story. But the score was as far apart as football scores get.

Perhaps more importantly, the balls were found under-inflated only in the first half — the Patriots carved out the majority of their points in the second half.

At the end of the first 30 minutes of play, the Patriots were up 17-7.

In the second half, Brady and company would go on to reach the end zone four more times, tallying another 28 points.

As a defensive player, Kuechly admittedly doesn’t get his hands on the ball that much. But while some pros are fuming over the investigation, others are shrugging it off as a “meh” issue.

Kuechly certainly falls in the second camp.

With New England quarterback Tom Brady under center and the Legion of Boom guarding the defensive backfield, you can place your prop bets that Super Bowl XLIX will not be dictated by 2 pounds of air pressure.

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Carolina Panthers’ Luke Kuechly ranked third in jersey sales for the season and was the only defensive player in the top 25. The Panthers were third in jersey sales overall and were the most popular jersey in team sales in Hawaii.

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