Jonathon Brooks re-tore his ACL just three games after returning to the field
Carolina Panthers rookie running back Jonathon Brooks reportedly re-tore his ACL on Sunday against the Philadelphia Eagles, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network.
Brooks was playing in his third NFL game for the Panthers, and had just returned from the torn ACL he suffered during his last year at the Texas football program. Still, he was the first running back off of the board in the 2024 NFL Draft, and he now will have to recover from tearing his ACL once again.
The Panthers will continue having Chuba Hubbard take the bulk of the carries for them, as he is a long-term piece for the team as well after recently signing an extension. Brooks likely will have to work his way back to return at some point in the 2025 season.
In Brooks' return to play, the Panthers were being cautious. In his first game back against the Kansas City Chiefs, he got just two carries, according to Pro Football Reference. He then had six carries and three receptions in the next game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and just one carry against the Eagles before leaving with an injury.
Brooks played three seasons at Texas, and in his third and final season rushed for 1,139 yards and 10 touchdowns, according to Sports Reference. Despite the ACL tear, he was still viewed as a good enough prospect to be the first running back off the board. The second ACL tear complicates things moving forward, but hopefully he will make an impact for the Panthers at some point in 2025 or beyond.
Panthers look to close season strong without Jonathon Brooks
The Panthers fell to 3-10 overall with their 22-16 loss to the Eagles on Sunday. However, there is some optimism surrounding the franchise, specifically due to the play of Bryce Young since he took back over as the starting quarterback. He is playing with much more confidence, and is a big reason why Carolina has competed in games against quality opponents like the Kansas City Chiefs and Eagles. The Panthers have a chance to play spoiler down the stretch as well.
The four games the Panthers have left this season are against the Dallas Cowboys, Arizona Cardinals, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Atlanta Falcons. A win against the Cowboys could essentially end their hopes of making a miracle playoff run, and beating any of the three other teams would be huge blows to their chances as well. It will be interesting to see if Young can keep up this level of play to close the season and provide some optimism heading into 2025.
