The Carolina Panthers will be without running back Jonathon Brooks for a bit as he's dealing with an injury.
Going into the 2026 NFL season, the Carolina Panthers were hoping to have a rotation in the backfield with the duo of Chuba Hubbard and Jonathon Brooks. With it being a big year for several players on the team, Brooks was hoping to show what he can do as he returned from injury.
But after two games, Brooks' season has hit a speed bump.
During the Week 2 win over the Atlanta Falcons, Brooks left the game early and didn't return. Now, he's going to have surgery to repair a core muscle injury and has been placed on Injured Reserve by the team. The initial thought was a 'week-to-week' injury but it appears to be more serious now.
The surgery will keep Brooks out about six weeks, giving him plenty of time to recover for his return. In two games, Brooks rushed for 30 yards on nine carries and had two catches for 53 yards. He split time with Hubbard in the backfield.
Carolina also elevated safety Isaiah Simmons from the practice squad in the corresponding roster move.
For Carolina, Hubbard will still remain the lead back in the backfield but veteran AJ Dillon is expected to have a bigger role in the offense moving forward. With quarterback Bryce Young off to a hot start, getting the run game consistent could be a key to the Panthers' success this season.
Jonathon Brooks' injury history
The Panthers took Brooks in the second round of the 2024 NFL Draft, making him the first running back taken that year. But he was recovering from a torn ACL he suffered in the 2023 college season at Texas. Brooks was a standout at Texas before getting hurt and likely would have been a first round pick if not for that injury.
Although Brooks was still recovering from that ACL, he did appear in three games in his rookie season but tore his other ACL late in the season. That caused Brooks to miss the entire 2025 season.
The 2026 offseason was the first full offseason that Brooks had in terms of being able to prepare. He participated in training camp as well as the preseason and showed signs of being healthy and ready to go.
This latest injury is just another setback for Brooks who has had a frustrating carer so far in the NFL. Over the three years, he has 18 carries for 52 yards and 0 touchdowns.
