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Back on Aug. 8, former NFL Defensive Player of the Year and five-time first-team All-Pro linebacker Luke Kuechly became the latest Carolina Panthers legend to be enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Kuechly—who played all eight of his pro campaigns with the organization—joined the likes of Julius Peppers, Sam Mills, Kevin Greene, Reggie White and Jared Allen in going from Charlotte to Canton.

So, who's next?

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Longtime NFL and USFL columnist Paul Domowitch joined the latest episode of Panthers Collective—hosted by analyst and creator Unnecessary Bluntness, team beat writer Sheena Quick and Joe Person of The Athletic. And when asked about the chances at football immortality for a few more franchise greats, Domowitch—a Pro Football Hall of Fame Selector since 2002—had this to say . . .

As Domowtich alludes to, the argument for former wide receiver Steve Smith Sr. seems to be a matter of when, and not if.

Smith—a two-time first-team All-Pro, two-time second-team All-Pro and five-time Pro Bowler—played 13 of his 16 seasons with the Panthers. He currently sits as the NFL's eighth all-time leading receiver (14,731), sandwiched between Hall of Famers Tim Brown and Marvin Harrison.

The upcoming selection cycle will mark Smith's sixth year of eligibility. He finished his run at the 2026 class as a semifinalist.

Ex-quarterback Cam Newton, on the other hand, will be entering his first year of eligibility—and his case isn't as clear.

The former No. 1 overall pick did pick up some serious hardware over his 11-year career—as the Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2011 and the Most Valuable Player and Offensive Player of the Year in 2015. He also notched a first-team All-Pro selection and three Pro Bowl nods.

His passing numbers, however, may end up keeping him out. Newton threw for 32,382 yards and 194 touchdowns—which rank 49th and 61st all-time, respectively.

If Newton breaks into the Hall of Fame, it'll be more through the impact he's left behind. His dual-threat ability played a huge part in redefining the quarterback position—helping open the door for the likes of Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson and Jalen Hurts.

For now, the odds don't appear to be in Newton's favor. But as time goes on—his mark on the game, as well as his candidacy, could grow.

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This article originally appeared on Panthers Wire: Longtime HOF selector talks about Cam Newton's chances at football immortality

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