Everything was going well for the Carolina Panthers on Sunday against the Atlanta Falcons.
They held a 34-3 lead in the fourth quarter when maybe the only negative of the day took place.
Jonathon Brooks, the second-string running back, headed to the locker room. He had first gone to the blue medical tent before leaving with trainers.
Jonathon Brooks Injury Update
There was no immediate report on what may have been injured for Brooks.
He wasn’t moving quickly to the locker room, so it doesn’t seem he felt great based on whatever happened.
“Jonathon Brooks is walking slowly to the locker room with a towel over his head,” The Athletic’s Joe Person wrote on X.
“RB Jonathon Brooks walked to the tunnel with a towel on his head with a trio of staff members,” ESPN’s Mike Kaye wrote on X.
Jonathon Brooks Stats
Before exiting, Brooks ran the football five times and picked up 16 yards.
He also was targeted once and caught it, but it was for negative-5 yards.
It was a lot less usage than Chuba Hubbard. Hubbard had 12 runs for 53 yards and two catches for 11 yards and a touchdown at the time Brooks went to the locker room.
That’s the same way it felt in Week 1, so Brooks wouldn’t be the loss of a first-string RB but rather a secondary option, if he has to miss time.
Panthers RB Depth Chart
The Panthers seem set to rely on Hubbard early and often this season.
Brooks was the clear second back, but they have experience beyond him, too.
The bruising AJ Dillon is the third RB on the active roster.
They also have two running backs on the practice squad who could conceptually be moved up in future weeks if needed: Anthony Tyus III and Ahmani Marshall.
There are also a number of veterans available in free agency if the Panthers decide they need more depth.
Brooks’ injury may not be serious, and that’d be the best possible outcome for the Panthers. He’s a young back with a lot of injury history, and so Carolina will just be hoping that it isn’t serious and can get back on the field sooner rather than later.
Jonathon Brooks Injury Update is Bad News for Panthers