The Carolina Panthers are finally getting ready to welcome back Jonathon Brooks after another lengthy spell on the sidelines. And make no mistake; he has heard all the doubters coming his way.
Brooks has been seldom seen on the field in a competitive setting since the Panthers traded up to secure his services at No. 46 overall in the 2024 NFL Draft. General manager Dan Morgan did this knowing the running back was recovering from a torn ACL. Despite suffering the same injury on the same knee within a few games, this belief has not wavered.
That's not the case with everybody.
While the large majority of fans have been supportive of Brooks on social media, there is always a small section of haters. Everyone gets them, but considering everything the former Texas standout has been through during another grueling rehabilitation process, he was well within his rights to clap back.
Jonathon Brooks claps back at critics before anticipated Carolina Panthers return
Whatever criticism Brooks received clearly hit a nerve. He couldn't believe fans of the team were actively trying to tear him down, even going so far as to attack family members along the way.
"I’ll never understand how the fanbase you play for can not only tear you down as a person and player but bring your significant other into it. The world needs a lot of Jesus."
This prompted a supportive message from two-time Pro Bowl cornerback Jaycee Horn, who urged Brooks to ignore the outside noise and keep pushing forward.
Them not real fans lil brudda.. just people miserable wit they own life and ain’t got nun better to do ! Keep going💯💯
— Jaycee Horn (@jayceehorn_) April 7, 2026
The Panthers are hoping for Brooks to be back on the field for OTAs. Head coach Dave Canales and his staff will bring him along gradually. Week 1 is the overall goal, so it's about ramping up his workload, ensuring he hits specific targets, and making sure he is (literally) ready to hit the ground running when competitive action begins.
There is also a clear path for Brooks to make his presence felt. Rico Dowdle wasn't brought back. The Panthers signed A.J. Dillon to go alongside Chuba Hubbard and Trevor Etienne, but expecting miracles from him is unrealistic. If there are no more health issues and the player hasn't lost much of his exceptional athletic traits, it's all systems go.
Asking Brooks to immediately become a lead-back is pushing it too far. He's missed a lot of football. He'll be fresh, but it remains a precarious situation. Gaining strength over the summer and in practice is one thing, but nobody knows how he'll respond to live-fire contact in a regular-season environment.
If everything goes well, Brooks will be like a new signing. Those writing him off prematurely will also look extremely foolish.