Panthers HC Dave Canales Drops Exciting Injury Update on Jonathon Brooks

Heading into Week 1 of the NFL season for the Carolina Panthers, one of the biggest questions around the team was whether running back Jonathon Brooks would be playing.

Brooks has been recovering from his second ACL tear that he suffered in 2024. The running back missed the entire 2025 season due to the injury, but he has now been medically cleared to get back on the field.

Ahead of the Panthers matchup against the Chicago Bears in Week 1, head coach Dave Canales dropped an exciting update on his running back

"No limitations," Canales said.

Canales said that he plans to play Brooks as part of a backfield committee, alongside Chuba Hubbard. The Panthers will also use veteran A.J. Dillon as a third back, offering more depth to the entire roster.

This will give the Panthers' running game an extra boost, and Brooks can finally get back to doing what he loves. This has been a long time coming for both Brooks and the Panthers, with Canales ready to get going.

"Just ready to see him play," Canales said. "And try to utilize his talents the best way possible, with some different things. But also just running the football. Very excited to see Chuba get back to his work, and this is a tandem that we've been thinking about for a really long time, and I'm excited to see those guys get out there and help their team."

Brooks, the Panthers' second-round draft pick in 2024, only appeared in three games for Carolina in his rookie year. The former Texas product saw his year be cut short due to injury, and the team is now excited to get him back on the field.

Mixing in Brooks with Hubbard could make the Panthers' offense be much more explosive against the Bears. Chicago's defense was very opportunistic last season, and Carolina should look to take advantage of any blitzes or pressure that may come their way.

The Panthers were able to get into the playoffs last season, despite a record of 8-9 to end the year. Carolina will be looking to get back to the postseason, hoping for better results this time around.

Having Brooks could make things easier for his group, offering a more dynamic presence in the backfield. But the team may choose to ease him into everything since he's been out for a very long time.