The Carolina Panthers steamrolled the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday, defeating their NFC South rivals 34-3 in Atlanta. Bryce Young, playing for a new contract, completed 23 of 36 passes for 287 yards and three touchdowns with zero interceptions, while last year's first-round pick, Tetairoa McMillan, led all wide receivers with 101 yards on just five catches. The Panthers' defense was relentless, the Falcons' offense was horrendous, and Carolina now sits atop the division.
But it wasn't all good news. On Monday, NFL insider Tom Pelissero reported that Panthers running back Jonathan Brooks has been ruled week-to-week with a groin injury, which he's currently getting second opinions on. Brooks first injured the groin during training camp, then reinjured it in Week 2 against the Falcons.
More news: Seahawks’ Mike Macdonald Addresses Jadarian Price Injury Scare This is brutal news for Brooks, who seemingly can't escape the injury bug. A second-round pick in 2024 after a strong junior year at Texas, Brooks missed the majority of his rookie season while rehabbing from a torn ACL suffered late in his final college season. He made his official NFL debut in late November, but played only three games before tearing his ACL again in the same knee.
That injury sidelined him for the entire 2025 season, and this year was supposed to be his breakout, with coaches and teammates raving about him all summer. But concerns started to emerge in camp when he popped up on the injury report, and now, just two games into the regular season, he's already dealing with a new issue: a groin injury. It's not the same as an ACL tear, which is the good news.
But any soft tissue injury for a running back is far from ideal, especially for a player who has now appeared in just five games across three seasons due to injury. Through the first two games of this season, against the Bears and Falcons, Brooks has rushed for 30 yards on nine carries, along with 43 receiving yards on two catches. More news: Vikings Get Major Kyler Murray Update Right After Statement Win Over Bears More news: Latest Caleb Williams Injury Update May Have Saved the Bears’ Season If it's a mild Grade 1 groin strain, he may only be out a week or two.
But if it's a moderate to severe strain, he could miss anywhere from three weeks to several months. That would obviously be the worst-case scenario, and there's no real reason to believe that will be the case right now. Still, given his injury history, it wouldn't be surprising for the Panthers to play it safe with this one.
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