Pitt Suffers Two Season-Ending Injuries

The Pitt Panthers suffered two season-ending injuries vs. Clemson.

Nov 16, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Panthers running back Daniel Carter (4) is carted off of the field after suffering an injury against the Clemson Tigers during the second quarter at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images / Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

PITTSBURGH -- The Pitt Panthers suffered not just a heartbreaking loss late to No. 20 Clemson at Acrisure Stadium, but also two season-ending injuries as well.

Panthers senior running back Daniel Carter went on a great run in the second quarter, going 13 yards and dragging Tigers defenders for a first down. He immediately grabbed at his ankle and the Panthers' medical staff rushed over to tend to him.

The Pitt medical staff put a cast around his right leg, which was the ankle he hurt, and they needed a cart to come out and take him to the locker room.

Panthers junior wide receiver Censere "C.J." Lee also suffered a serious injury later on in the game vs. the Tigers.

Lee went up for a pass in the fourth quarter, but Tigers sophomore cornerback Avieon Terrell knocked him down. The officials called pass interference, but Lee laid down and received immediate medical attention.

It appeared that he suffered a head injury when he landed, but what caused him the most pain was on his right knee, as the Pitt medical staff placed a knee brace on him and carted him off the field.

Pitt head coach Pat Narduzzi confirmed following the game that both Carter and Lee will miss the rest of the season with those injuries.

"Yeah, both of them will be out for the year," Narduzzi said. "Daniel had what looked like probably a broken -- I'm not a doctor but it was not pretty looking sight out there. You knew immediately that he had an issue there, and then C.J. Lee, he'll be out, as well, with it looked like -- I'm no doctor, but a patella tendon."

Carter is in his sixth and final season with the Panthers and finished his final season with 22 rushes for 208 yards and four touchdowns. He had four rushes for 31 yards vs. the TIgers, including a two-yard touchdown.

His best game came in the 73-17 blowout of Youngstown State in Week 4, where he had seven carries for 109 yards and two touchdowns, including a 13-yard catch for a touchdown.

This matchup vs. the Tigers served as Carter's 60th game that he has played for the Panthers since 2019. He finished his career with 88 carries for 479 yards and 10 touchdowns.

Lee finishes his first season with the Panthers with 19 catches for 254 yards and three touchdowns in the first nine games of the season. He didn't have any catches against the Tigers.

Like Carter, Lee also had his best game of the season vs. Youngstown State, as he made four catches for 108 yards, including an 82-yard touchdown, the longest in five years.

Offensive coordinator Kade Bell brought Lee, along with star junior running back Desmond Reid and redshirt junior wide receiver Raphael "Poppi" Williams Jr. from Western Carolina in the FCS, where he led one of the best offenses in the country.

Lee led the Catamounts with 46 catches for 792 yards and eight touchdowns in 11 games last season as a sophomore. He also finished second on the Catamounts with 36 catches for 634 yards and six touchdowns as a freshman in 2022.

Pitt will hope Lee recovers soon and is ready to train during spring camp and heading into his senior season in 2025.

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