Panthers rookie suffers devastating long-term injury
Sep 8, 2024; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; Detailed view of the Carolina Panthers helmet against the New Orleans Saints during the pregame at Caesars Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images
Carolina Panthers rookie running back Jonathon Brooks suffered a devastating injury in Sunday’s game, the team announced Monday.
Panthers coach Dave Canales revealed that Brooks suffered a torn ACL in Sunday’s loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. This is Brooks’ second ACL tear in a span of 13 months, having suffered the same injury while playing for Texas in November 2023.
#Panthers RB Jonathan Brooks re-tore his ACL and he’ll have season-ending surgery, coach Dave Canales told reporters. Just crushing for the promising back.
“He’s heartbroken, I’m heartbroken,” Canales said.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) December 9, 2024
The Panthers drafted Brooks 46th overall in the 2024 NFL Draft, as he was considered one of the top running backs in the class. They were content to wait out his recovery from the ACL tear, and he did not make his season debut until Week 12. He only got nine carries for 22 yards in three games before going down with this latest injury.
The concern for Brooks and the Panthers is that the timing of this second tear will probably sideline Brooks for a good portion of the 2025 season. That is a crushing blow for a young player that the team had high hopes for.