Panthers' Jonathon Brooks Scores First Career Touchdown

Carolina Panthers running back Jonathon Brooks is entering his third season in the league, but is just now scoring his first touchdown. 

Brooks rushed for 18 yards and a touchdown on five carries in the Panthers' preseason matchup against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Brooks is a talented running back, and having him healthy will give the offense another option out of the backfield.

He has appeared in only three regular-season games in his career, all in 2024, where he rushed for 22 yards on nine carries and caught three passes for 23 yards. 

The 23-year-old then missed the entire 2025 season due to a torn ACL that he suffered in Week 14 of the 2024 campaign. It was the second time he tore his right ACL, but he is fully healthy ahead of the 2026 season.

Brooks could be impactful for Carolina's offense as the secondary back behind Chuba Hubbard. Hubbard had a solid season in 2025, rushing for 511 yards and a touchdown on 134 carries, along with 30 receptions for 223 yards and three touchdowns. 

The Panthers will need a running back-by-committee approach in the 2026 season after Rico Dowdle left for the Pittsburgh Steelers in free agency.

Dowdle had a breakout campaign for Carolina in 2025, rushing for 1,076 yards and six touchdowns, along with 39 receptions for 297 yards and a touchdown.

Losing Dowdle will be a big blow for Carolina's offense, but they have the talent in Hubbard and Brooks to replace his production on the field. The Panthers will need Brooks to stay healthy in 2026 to be a quality weapon for quarterback Bryce Young.

Young took a step forward in his third season in the league, as he led Carolina to an NFC South title and into the playoffs. He completed 63.6 percent of his passes for 3,011 yards, 23 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions while rushing for 216 yards and two touchdowns.

The Panthers have the talent to win the division for a second straight season, but they will need Young to play at a more consistent level and the weapons around him, like Brooks, to thrive.