Panthers get worst possible news on rookie RB Jonathon Brooks

Jonathon Brooks has suffered another debilitating knee injury.

Dec 1, 2024; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Panthers running back Jonathon Brooks (24) during pregame warmups against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images / Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

Jonathon Brooks went down in the backfield on his lone touch yesterday without being touched. The player took a handoff and tried to do a jump cut to the outside and his knee gave out. It was a troubling sight for a Carolina Panthers rookie who was in his third NFL game since returning from an ACL injury. Now, the team has confirmed the worst: it's another tear of the same ACL.

Jonathon Brooks re-tears same ACL

Jonathon Brooks was trending towards being a first-round pick before suffering a torn ACL in his final year at Texas. The Panthers felt he was worth a second-round pick and were willing to wait on him. He made a few plays during his brief time on the field before going down.

After getting some imaging done, what every Panthers fan feared was confirmed. Not only was it a torn ACL, but the same exact knee he just recovered from. Dave Canales confirmed that he would miss the rest of the year. He will probably miss the majority of next season as well.

Brooks and recently-extended running back Chuba Hubbard were poised to form a dominant running back duo, but now Hubbard will have to remain the workhorse. It's unclear when Brooks will come back and how good he can be following a second knee surgery.

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