Panthers Place RB Jonathon Brooks on Injured Reserve
The short version
- Panthers placed Jonathon Brooks on IR on Sept. 23 with a groin injury; he must miss at least four weeks.
- Brooks aggravated the injury in Week 2 against Atlanta after first hurting it in training camp.
- Chuba Hubbard remains the starter; AJ Dillon is in line for the backup role.
- Carolina is hosting veteran free agent RB Austin Ekeler for a visit ahead of Week 3 vs. Cleveland.
Carolina's second-year back is out at least four weeks with a groin injury, opening the door for AJ Dillon behind starter Chuba Hubbard.
The Carolina Panthers placed running back Jonathon Brooks on injured reserve on Wednesday, Sept. 23, after he aggravated a groin injury originally suffered during training camp. The move rules him out for a minimum of four weeks, though head coach Dave Canales told reporters no firm return timeline has been set.
Brooks re-injured the groin during Carolina's 34-3 Week 2 win over the Atlanta Falcons. He had played a limited role through the first two weeks of the 2026 season, totaling 73 yards on 11 touches while logging roughly a quarter of the team's offensive snaps.
The injury is the latest setback for the former Texas standout, who appeared in only three games over his first two NFL seasons because of two ACL tears in his right knee, the second of which cost him the entire 2025 campaign.
With Brooks sidelined, Chuba Hubbard remains the Panthers' lead back and veteran AJ Dillon moves into the primary backup role. Dillon, a 2020 second-round pick of the Green Bay Packers, has run for 25 yards on eight carries through two games this season. Anthony Tyus III and Ahmani Marshall are on the practice squad and could be promoted for depth.
Carolina is also exploring outside help ahead of its Week 3 matchup with the Cleveland Browns. The team is hosting veteran running back and return specialist Austin Ekeler for a visit on Wednesday, according to multiple reports. Ekeler appeared in two games for the Washington Commanders last season before tearing his Achilles.
