Few people enjoy going to work like Luke Kuechly, but on Tuesday, his bosses told him to stay home.

Not literally, of course.

Wearing a Panthers' blue floppy hat, Kuechly watched Carolina's 10th training camp practice from the sideline. His spectator status courtesy of a suggestion from the team's training staff.

"One thing that we've got to remember is the guy's led the NFL in tackles the last five years or four years, so we've got to be smart with him," coach Ron Rivera said.

In the interest of accuracy, Kuechly led the league in tackles during two of his first four seasons. That doesn't lessen Rivera's point, of course. 

"He deserves those types of breaks on occasion," Rivera said, "and we've got to make sure he's fresh once we get into the season."

It was somewhat surprising Kuechly enjoyed the day off as a "willing participant," but it wasn't at all shocking that he heard about it from teammates who weren't as fortunate. It didn't help that the other guys with vet days — DE Charles Johnson, TE Greg Olsen and WR Ted Ginn Jr. -- are all going into their 10th seasons.

"Boy did [Luke] catch hell for it," Rivera said.

And you probably also won't have a hard time believing who led the heckles.

"Cam [Newton] doesn't want one," Rivera said of the 6th-year quarterback who hasn't yet taken a vet day. "Every time we try to give him one he shows up ready to practice.

"It's a little source of pride right now with him."