The Carolina Panthers will have to look for a new linebacker as Luke Kuechly announced his retirement from the National Football League. While Christian McCaffrey was saddened by the departure of his future Hall of Fame teammate, he understands why one of the best inside linebackers the league has ever seen has decided to call it quits.

McCaffrey was asked about his thoughts on Kuechly's retirement, and he was generally supportive of the linebacker's decision to call it quits. According to Panthers Wire's Tim Weaver, the team's leading running back will miss his on-field contributions.

“Luke is the poster child. I'm going to miss him a lot. But I'm so happy for him. One of the best to ever play the game. I was honored to get three years with him.”

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Kuelchy, who has seven Pro Bowls and five First-Team All-Pro mentions to his name, cited the condition of his body as the main reason why he's retiring at only 28 years old. He's suffered three concussions already in his short career with the Panthers.

‘It makes me sad because I love playing this game,' Kuechly said, via The Daily Mail. ‘I've played it since I was a kid. It's my favorite thing to do in the world. The memories I have from this place and this organization and being on the field with these guys, they will never go away.

Without their star linebacker, the Panthers will be hard-pressed to find a suitable replacement for him in the offseason. While there are many viable candidates out there, no one can possibly match Kuechly's impact on the field.