Panthers’ Keith Kirkwood leaves practice on stretcher after head shot from teammate

The Carolina Panthers paused practice for several minutes at training camp on Tuesday following a frightening injury to wide receiver Keith Kirkwood, and it looks like it was an injury that could have been prevented.

Kirkwood was stretchered off the field and left in an ambulance after taking a hit to the head from teammate J.T. Ibe. Panthers reporter Joe Person says Ibe was kicked out of practice.

If you look closely at the video below, you can see Ibe lower his shoulder into Kirkwood’s head and neck area after a pass bounced off Kirkwood’s hands.

Keith Kirkwood injury, doesn’t look good pic.twitter.com/oYbBx1dnrA

— Panthers On Tap Podcast (@PanthersOnTap) August 3, 2021

Those are the types of hits the NFL has tried to eliminate in recent years. You certainly never want to see one in practice, and Ibe will likely face disciplinary action from the Panthers.