Luke Kuechly was carted off the field late in the fourth quarter on Thursday night and was being evaluated for a concussion.

Kuechly entered the NFL's concussion protocol, the Carolina Panthers said, after what appeared to be a helmet-to-helmet hit on a tackle of Tim Hightower.

The linebacker was in tears as he rode off toward the locker room while fans screamed "Luuuuke!"

Kuechly missed three games last season after suffering a concussion in Week 1.

Cam Newton believes he got his point across to Roger Goodell in a meeting with the commissioner about not being treated fairly in the pocket.

"It was a great discussion, great talk," said Newton, who talked to Goodell over the phone on Tuesday. "I got my point across. He got his point across. That's it."

Newton has complained that he doesn't get the same treatment as other quarterbacks regarding late hits in the pocket.

"Illegal hits for me start in the pocket," Newton said after Sunday's game against the Arizona Cardinals. "I know when I am running the football, I am on my own. I understand that. I'm not a dummy or oblivious to the fact that I run the football more than any quarterback who has ever played this game. I mean, duh. I'm fine with that.

"In the pocket, that's all I'm asking for. Just to get certain things, the standard of every person getting the same calls, that's all."