CHARLOTTE — Four Panthers legends were among the final 50 players (plus ties) in voting for the Pro Football Hall of Fame's Class of 2026.

Linebacker Luke Kuechly's an automatic finalist this year, after he made the final seven in last year's voting. Wide receiver Steve Smith also made the list, after he was a finalist for the first time last year.

They're joined on this year's ballot by tight end Greg Olsen, and cornerback Charles Tillman, who played his final season here in 2015.

The group came from the preliminary list of 128, which was filtered down by the Hall's new screening committee. The 52 players will now be voted on by the full selection committee, and reduced to 25, and that list will be announced in around five weeks.

Kuechly's an automatic finalist this year, along with W

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