Former Texas Longhorns RB Out for Entire 2025 NFL Season

A former Texas Longhorns running back has been sidelined for the 2025 campaign with the Carolina Panthers.

Dec 1, 2024; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Panthers running back Jonathon Brooks (24) runs for yardage against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the second half at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images | Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

AUSTIN -- Former Texas Longhorns running back Jonathon Brooks will have to watch from the sideline during his second season with the Carolina Panthers.

The Panthers placed Brooks on the Physically Unable to Perform list (PUP) Thursday, meaning he will now be out for the entire 2025 season. Brooks tore his ACL in Week 14's loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, the same ACL he tore in November 2023 in Texas' win over TCU.

Brooks played in just three games as a rookie after the Panthers selected him in the second round of the 2024 NFL Draft. He was the first running back taken in last year's draft, which marked the second straight season that a Texas running back was the first at his position off the board, joining Bijan Robinson who went No. 8 overall to the Atlanta Falcons in 2023.

Dec 8, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Carolina Panthers running back Jonathon Brooks (24) tries to get off the field after being injured against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images | Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

Brooks finished his rookie season with three apperances (one start) while tallying nine carries for 22 yards and three catches for 23 yards. His best game came in Week 13's overtime loss to the Tampa Bay Buccanerrs. On just 15 offensive snaps, Brooks had six carries for 18 yards and three catches for 23 yards, as the Panthers were clearly trying to get him involved as he worked his way back from the first ACL tear.

During his final season at Texas, Brooks burst onto the scene in what was a career year for the Halletsville, TX native. In just 10 games, he had 87 carries for 1,139 yards and 10 touchdowns along with 25 catches for 286 yards and another score before suffering the injury against TCU. He earned Second-Team All-Big 12 honors as a result of his season.

Brooks finished that year with six 100-yard rushing performances, highlighted by a career-best game against Kansas when he had 21 carries for 218 yards and two touchdowns along with one catch for 23 yards. Though he didn't play the final four games of the season, Brooks was a major reason why the Longhorns made it to their first-ever College Football Playoff.

The 2025 schedule for the Panthers will be released on Wednesday.