Panthers RB Jonathon Brooks Slated for Surgery, IR Stint

The Carolina Panthers will be without Jonathon Brooks for at least six weeks after the second-year running back suffered a core muscle injury in Sunday’s win over Atlanta. Brooks is expected to undergo surgery Wednesday and will be placed on injured reserve, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.

It is another brutal setback for a player who has barely been able to stay on the field since arriving in Carolina.

Jonathon Brooks Injury Timeline

Brooks left the Panthers’ 34-3 win over the Falcons in the fourth quarter with what Carolina initially called a groin injury. The core-muscle procedure will force him to miss a minimum of six weeks, though the expectation is that he could return in time to contribute later in the season.

The former Texas star entered the NFL carrying plenty of excitement after Carolina selected him in the second round of the 2024 draft. But injuries have controlled nearly every part of his professional career.

Brooks appeared in only three games and logged nine carries as a rookie. He then missed the entire 2025 season and has managed just nine carries through the opening stretch of 2026.

It's been a long time since Brooks handled a consistent workload. He recorded triple-digit rushing attempts in only one of his three college seasons, and now another major interruption lands him back on the shelf.

What It Means For Carolina

Chuba Hubbard is once again locked into the Panthers’ RB1 role.

For bettors and fantasy managers, this news makes Hubbard’s touch projection cleaner whenever Carolina faces competitive game scripts. The Panthers can still use complementary backs, but Brooks was the player with the draft pedigree and talent to potentially steal meaningful work as the season progressed.

Instead, Carolina will wait again.

The Panthers travel to Cleveland this week, while Brooks begins another frustrating recovery process. Check TheLines’ latest NFL odds and NFL player props for updated betting markets.