The new Highmark Stadium played host to a pretty forgettable preseason showing for the Carolina Panthers, who took a 29-14 loss to the Buffalo Bills on Saturday. But sometimes, getting out of the game without any major injuries is a win—and that might be the case for at least one player.
Third-year running back Jonathon Brooks made his NFL preseason debut this afternoon. Thanks to two ACL tears in his right knee, the 2024 second-round pick—entering the day—had appeared in just three games for the Panthers, and never fully participated in a training camp until this summer.
Well, Brooks finally made his return to action today against the Bills, and he came out of it clean and healthy . . . for the most part:
#Panthers running back Jonathon Brooks left Saturday’s contest with a battle scar, a small cut above his right eye. It happened on his reception — but the adrenaline prevented him from feeling it.
— Alex Zietlow (@alexzietlow05) August 15, 2026
On the emotional game for the player who’s been through a lot in two years: pic.twitter.com/gyQPdrG7pr
Brooks' 9-yard reception in the first quarter was the highlight from his return. Having no run blocking in front of him to speak of, however, limited the 23-year-old to just five yards on three carries.
Hopefully for Brooks, he'll have a little more space to work with on Friday—when the Panthers take on the Jacksonville Jaguars for their third exhibition.
Follow @ThePanthersWire on Twitter/X for more Panthers content.
This article originally appeared on Panthers Wire: Panthers RB Jonathon Brooks comments on his first game back