Back From 2023 ACL Injury, Panthers’ Rookie Running Back Tears It Again

Head coach Dave Canales of the Carolina Panthers looks on in the third quarter of a game against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia on Dec. 8. Emilee Chinn/Getty Images

Carolina Panthers running back Jonathan Brooks can’t catch a break.

The rookie from Texas suffered his second ACL tear on the same knee during Sunday’s 22—16 loss against the Philadelphia Eagles, a little over a year after his initial tear in November 2023 during a 29—26 victory over TCU.

“"My heart is with him,'' Panthers head coach Dave Canales told reporters on Monday. “I mean, just the amount of hard work that he put in to get back to this place, to get him to play. He’s heartbroken. I’m heartbroken. The whole group just feeling for him.'’

The Panthers took a chance on Brooks in the draft with a second round pick in April because of his production with the Longhorns. He rushed for 1,139 yards and 10 touchdowns plus 25 catches for 286 yards and a touchdown in 2023.

Brooks didn’t play a game for the Panthers until November amid recovery from his first ACL surgery. He tallied nine carries for 22 yards and three receptions for 23 yards in three games this season.

“We‘ll be there every step of the way with him, supporting him with this, through this journey,’‘ Canales said. “He knows how to do this. He’ll be able to attack it, and his focus is just going to shift in terms of what he’s competing for.'’

Brooks earned a starting role upon return as he paired with Panthers running back Chuba Hubbard. While Hubbard eclipsed 1,000 yards on Sunday, losing his backfield teammate put a damper on things.

“It’s just unfortunate. J.B. is my guy,” Hubbard told reporters. “Just see how hard he’s worked to get back and all the work he’s put in.”

“Obviously, your mind wants to go a bunch of different places, but he just turned to God in these types of moments, and J.B.’s resilient; he‘ll be all right; he’ll fight back,” Hubbard added.

Panthers offensive lineman Robert Hunt called it “devastating” and recalled talking with him after the game.

“It’s sad, man, for a kid to put that much work in to come back and, you know, obviously looks good in my eyes, a lot of people, you can see the talent that he does have,” Hunt told reporters.

Brooks wasn’t the only Panthers running back to get injured Sunday. Raheem Blackshear sustained a chest injury and was hospitalized out of precaution because it was a “blunt-force contusion” as Canales noted.