Panthers RB Jonathon Brooks headed to IR, Austin Ekeler scheduled for workout

Brooks has played in just five games over the last three seasons and will miss another six weeks with core muscle surgery

Sep 23, 2026 at 8:34 am ET • 1 min read

Panthers running back Jonathon Brooks will undergo core muscle surgery and miss at least six weeks, the latest blow for the oft-injured former second-round pick, ESPN reports. Carolina will place him on injured reserve.

Brooks left the Panthers' 34-3 Week 2 win over the Falcons with what was deemed a groin injury, and after the game, he was seen walking with a heavy limp, according to ESPN.

Brooks suffered a torn right ACL in 2023, his final season at Texas. Still, he was the first running back drafted in 2024 (46th overall). He missed the bulk of his rookie year recovering from the injury, making his debut in Week 12. But just two weeks later, he re-tore his right ACL, which caused him to miss all of last season as well.

Brooks, 23, was expected to form a solid 1-2 punch in the Carolina backfield alongside Chuba Hubbard, though so far this season, Hubbard has been the clear top running back. He has 27 touches to Brooks' 11 and has played 68% of Carolina's offensive snaps to Brooks' 25%. One could make the case that the Panthers were hoping to bring Brooks along slowly after two consecutive devastating knee injuries, but now they will have to begin that build-up process again later this season.

The Panthers have already begun looking for outside help, with Austin Ekeler set to work out for them on Wednesday, according to KPRC2's Aaron Wilson. Ekeler, 31, is coming off his own devastating injury -- a torn Achilles early last year, when he was with the Commanders -- but he had a solid 2024 in Washington and is a proven pass catcher out of the backfield.

After Hubbard, the only other running back on the active roster is AJ Dillon. The Panthers also have Anthony Tyus III and Ahmani Marshall on the practice squad.