Panthers' Luke Kuechly tackles fashion in Durham appearance

DURHAM, North Carolina (WTVD) -- Panthers fans are used to seeing Luke Kuechly grab attention with hard hits or big plays.

But in Durham this past Sunday, the linebacker drew quite the crowd - with the fashion set.

Kuechly made a special stop by the Nordstrom at Streets of Southpoint to promote menswear line Mizzen + Main.

"This brand is good because (of) the way it moves," Kuechly said. "It moves well, it's got a little bit of stretch to it, it fits well. I think a lot of times you get caught up in the shirts don't fit. I don't know if Cam (Newton's) going to like it, but I'm going to try to push some of these shirts on guys that help them fit. It's kind of an activewear shirt - it moves well, it breathes well, so hopefully it'll be good for them."

The Panthers fan favorite also made plenty of time for a lengthy photo shoot with his supporters.

"One of the best parts of playing in Carolina is just fans everywhere," Kuechly said. "Whether you're in Charlotte or up here in Durham. They're everywhere, and it's a good opportunity for us to tell them we appreciate the support even if they're not always in Charlotte."

Fans lined up to meet Kuechly and snap a photo with the NFL star.

As for the Panthers, Kuechly said the team is in good shape and ready to bounce back - including himself: Gone is that nasty concussion from last season, and in its place is a healthy No. 59 who is ready to get to work with the team's new additions.

"We brought some good guys in on the draft," Kuechly said. "We brought Matt Kalil and Captain (Munnerlyn) and Julius Peppers in. They're just some older veteran guys that will help us out. (We got) some good young guys from the draft, I think we got some speed on offense now, and we're excited."

Kuechly's first focus is football, of course, but off the field when it comes to parlaying into fashion, he does have Newton at his disposal.

While the Panthers QB has never shied away from a splashy outfit, don't expect that to rub off on Kuechly anytime soon.

"I might stay away from his fashion," Kuechly grinned. "His fashion is a little bit too out there for me, but it works for him. I'm going to stay in my lane and kind of wear this kind of stuff."