Panthers backup running back Jonathon Brooks is set to undergo surgery Wednesday to repair a core muscle injury that will result in him being placed on injured reserve, Carolina announced. Brooks is expected to return this season, the person told the Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the team has yet to announce the news, which was first reported by NFL Network. Brooks is expected to miss at least six weeks recovering from the procedure.
Panthers head coach Dave Canales said Monday that Brooks had injured his groin late in Carolina’s 34-3 win over the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday. He said at the time the team was awaiting the results of an MRI. Brooks has struggled with knee injuries in the past, limiting his playing time to only five of a potential 36 games since joining the league as a second round pick in 2024.
He tore his ACL during his final season at Texas and then again during his rookie season with the Panthers. The injury forced him to miss the remainder of the 2024 season and all of 2025. Brooks was used sparingly in Carolina's first two games of the season.
Chuba Hubbard, in the middle of a four-year, $33.2 million extension, is Carolina's starting running back and A.J. Dillon is third on the depth chart. Among the veteran free agents available to sign with Carolina at running back include Austin Ekeler, who last played with the Washington Commanders in 2025, and Kareem Hunt, who played for the Kansas City Chiefs.
The Panthers are expected to bring Ekeler onboard with Brooks out, per ESPN. He played in just two games in 2025, rushing for 43 yards on 14 attempts, but from 2021 through 2023 as the Rams' starting back averaged 818 rushing yards per season with another 601.7 in the air, and 44 total touchdowns. Ekeler is now 31, however, and suffered a torn Achilles in 2025 that cut his season short.
The Panthers play at Cleveland on Sunday. The Panthers promoted safety Isaiah Simmons from the practice squad to take Brooks' roster spot. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
