There was a lot of hype going into the NFL Draft around Jonathon Brooks' potential coming out of Texas. This was despite the running back suffering a devastating knee injury to end his final college campaign.
The Carolina Panthers took a risk and traded up for Brooks at No. 46 overall in the 2024 NFL Draft. They banked on long-term potential given the fact he would likely be out for the majority of the season.
Days turned into weeks and weeks turned into months as fans waited with bated breath for Brooks to make his debut. Especially as Chuba Hubbard was putting together a career year and Miles Sanders once again underperformed.
With an injury to Sanders, there was finally an opportunity for Brooks to be slotted into the starting lineup. The Panthers rightfully erred on the side of caution.
Finally, the day came for fans to see just what the Panthers had with Brooks against the Kansas City Chiefs. But one thing stood out to me watching him come into the game for that first play. I remember thinking to myself and even saying out loud, "Is that a limp?".
Brooks had a noticeable hitch every time he walked up to the line or into the huddle, one that just didn't look natural or encouraging in the slightest given how much the rookie was favoring that surgically repaired knee.
Carolina Panthers might not have Jonathon Brooks on the field until 2026
But Brooks produced when called upon. It was nothing mind-blowing, but enough to show real potential once he had enough reps under his belt to get back into game shape. Especially in his second game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, where the second-rounder had some nice rushes and showed exceptional ball carrier vision and elusiveness. Skills that pair very well with Hubbard.
There was legitimate excitement to see what Brooks could accomplish for this team, yet that limp still bothered me.
Those fears ended up turning into tragedy on the first carry for Brooks in the very next game at the Philadelphia Eagles. The rookie rusher took the ball from quarterback Bryce Young and went to cut upfield. You could see something was wrong immediately. It was as if all the power and balance had evaporated from him.
Then the cart came out. News that Brooks had torn the same ACL arrived soon after.
This came like a shot to the heart of Panthers fans. Everyone knows just how hard it is to come back from an ACL injury for any athlete, but especially one like a running back.
The ACL is what gives a running back their explosiveness and ability to change direction. Without a solid one, they are not the same.
It's a major ligament for stability in the knee. It provides strength and support when planning the foot to change direction quickly. It holds the bones and other structures in place and keeps the knee from moving in ways that would damage it.
Coming back from one, let alone two in as many years, is incredibly difficult. That isn't to say that Brooks can't do it — I have every hope that he can. But the odds and history aren't in his favor.
However, that is not to say it is impossible.
Adrian Peterson is a shining example. He came back from an ACL tear to win one of the few NFL MVP awards given to a non-quarterback in recent memory while rushing for over 2,000 yards. But that was only after one injury.
Former Panthers quarterback Teddy Bridgewater is another example of how hard it is to come back from these types of issues. Granted it was more devastating, but even so, the quarterback came back from it and was able to produce at the NFL level in a backup role.
Bridgewater was never really the same player. He lacked that explosiveness from before the injury. It ruined a once-promising career.
The problem here is the fact that it is a repeat injury. And the more you repair something, the more likely it is to break again.
If Brooks can come back healthy, there is real potential for another explosive rushing duo in Carolina. Just like the old days. But that all hinges on if he becomes the same player.
The Panthers will likely have to wait long into next season yet again to see Brooks take the field. After that, fans will once again be waiting to see just how those first few runs go.