Carolina Panthers running back Jonathon Brooks has been sidelined with a groin injury this week with just days before the team's regular season opener against the Chicago Bears. However, the Panthers finally got some good news regarding Brooks' status for Week 1. According to Josh Alper of Pro Football Talk, Panthers head coach Dave Canales said on Friday that Brooks is off the injury report and ready to go against the Bears.
He added that Brooks will play with “no limitations.” That is certainly great news given Brooks' lengthy injury history. He tore his ACL for the second time in two seasons in December 2024, and missed all of last season while working his way back. However, it looks like Brooks will finally be back on the field this Sunday to create an intriguing one-two punch with fellow Panthers running back Chuba Hubbard.
The Panthers selected Brooks in the second round of the 2024 NFL Draft, which made him the first running back selected that year. He began his rookie season on the reserve/non-football injury list while recovering from the torn ACL he sustained at Texas. Brooks was activated on Nov. 6, 2024 and made his NFL debut against the Kansas City Chiefs, rushing two times for seven yards.
Unfortunately, in just his third game back, Brooks suffered a non-contact injury on his first carry and tore the ACL in his right knee for a second time, ending his season. There is still a lot to like from Brooks' game, when healthy, though. In 2023, he rushed for 1,139 yards and 10 touchdowns at Texas, and the Panthers have been waiting ever since to see if he can translate that type of production at the next level.
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