Jonathon Brooks clears biggest remaining hurdle during Week 12 NFL debut

The excitement was palpable for everyone associated with the Carolina Panthers in Week 12 against the Kansas City Chiefs. This stemmed from second-round rookie Jonathon Brooks finally making his NFL debut.

It's been a long battle for Brooks to get himself to this point. The running back's been out of competitive action for almost a year after suffering a torn ACL during his final college season with the Texas Longhorns. Carolina felt confident there would be no long-term effects, but they've been ultra-cautious with the player's rehabilitation to ensure he's 100 percent ready.

Brooks was given a tough first assignment versus the two-time defending Super Bowl champions and their elite-level defense led by exceptional coordinator Steve Spagnuolo. The No. 46 overall selection in the 2024 NFL Draft wasn't on a suspected snap count according to head coach Dave Canales, but nobody was expecting miracles with some obvious rust anticipated after so long away from the gridiron.

Canales has a plan in place for Brooks. Many thought this would be something similar to how veteran Miles Sanders was deployed before he went to injured reserve. The first-year pro has far more explosiveness and talent, but it represented a journey into the unknown for everybody.

Jonathon Brooks passed huge test on Carolina Panthers debut

As it turned out, Brooks' involvement was minimal. He gained just two carries for seven rushing yards as the Panthers fell to a last-second defeat. However, he cleared the biggest remaining hurdle on his quest for extended involvement.

Brooks can do all the rehabilitation he wants. Practice helps, but it only does so much. Taking live fire in a competitive setting versus NFL-caliber defenders was a different matter entirely.

Perhaps fans wanted to see more from Brooks, which is fine. But the fact he came through this challenge unscathed despite limited involvement is pleasing. It should also provide some additional inner confidence after so long away from the gridiron.

The Panthers have the luxury of taking things slowly with Brooks. They have Chuba Hubbard as their No. 1 option, who recently received a four-year extension and is among the team's brightest spots in 2024. He's shouldering the heavy burden while Canales finds ways to ramp up the rookie's usage gradually.

Brooks is probably chomping at the bit to become a focal point offensively. It's been a frustrating year, but the Panthers made this pick for the future rather than getting any instant returns. That ensures they'll keep the bigger picture in mind over the next six games and react accordingly to how the player is responding to increased demands.

Taking contact effectively was a necessary step. Expect Brooks to feature more - but not by much - against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 13. If everything goes well, then the coaching staff can feel confident about moving forward with almost no restrictions whatsoever.

When that happens, it's all systems go.

More Carolina Panthers news and analysis