Exclusive: Jonathan Stewart Talks Panthers Injuries, Oral-B, and More

Former Carolina Panthers running back Jonathan Stewart knows what it's like to play in the NFL and is also seeing what life is like on the other side. It has given him the perspective to discuss a wide variety of topics with Panthers on SI, including dental health, the Panthers' injuries, and his own future.

Rushing Struggles

Carolina Panthers running back Chuba Hubbard (30) rushes during the fourth quarter | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Panthers have historically been a good rushing football team. When they're good, including last year, it's been because of a great rushing attack, more often than not. This year, that hasn't been the case.

The offense has gotten away from that identity and struggled to get back to it. As a former running back and a current fan, Jonathan Stewart has a unique perspective on what's going on.

He didn't want to reduce any problem to a one-dimensional solution, and blaming one group or one player is not always fair. Still, there's a tendency to do just that, and Stewart believes if there's one thing that's certainly contributing, it's a weakened offensive line.

"They are battling through a lot of changes up front and a lot of unexpected circumstances, such as guys going down with injuries," Stewart said. "Taylor Moton being one of those guys, you realize how good he is when he's not out there (5:04) and he hasn't been out there."

The Panthers did spend the 19th overall pick on Monroe Freeling, who is playing Moton's position, but he's going through some "growing pains" as a rookie, and the whole offense, with a new play-caller, is experiencing some growing pains as well.

Even still, Stewart feels like Chuba Hubbard is getting better. "You have to commit to it no matter what, because at some point Chuba Hubbard will find an opportunity to bust one. And I think he's been really close... He's had some runs where I was like, 'Oh, there it is.'"

Carolina's Injury Woes

In football, injuries are going to happen. As wild as this last week has been for the Panthers, it's not terribly uncommon. Teams get ravaged by injuries and lose tons of players. Jonathan Stewart knows and has experienced this.

His former teammate Jordan Gross often said playing against backups is extremely hard. "You don't really know what to expect, and so I would almost kind of look at this as, our backups, you know, have an opportunity to showcase who they really are," he said.

On the defensive side of the ball, he specifically highlighted rookie safety Zakee Wheatley for stepping in and playing well for Nick Scott. Wheatley is the highest-graded rookie per PFF this season.

He also noted rookie cornerback Will Lee III, who is now the top cornerback on the roster. "During the Chicago game, he had a rookie moment. And ever since then, you wouldn't even tell if he was a rookie or not. He's been playing really well," Stewart said.

He admitted that Lee III is no Jaycee Horn. He's no Mike Jackson, either. But, he said, Lee has a chance to make a name for himself. "He's his own man," Stewart said. "There's going to be a lot of opportunities like that this weekend for guys to step in and make a statement because no one's coming to save you," he said.

And at the end of the day, nobody cares, according to Stewart. If the Panthers lose, no one will mark it with an asterisk because of all the injuries. In football, nothing matters for very long.

Stewart added, "Even if you win a Super Bowl, no one cares besides your fans, but next year they're going to want to win another one. That's the mentality you have to have."

Jonathon Brooks

Jonathan Stewart suffered his fair share of injuries during his NFL career, but nothing quite like what Jonathon Brooks is going through. Heading into Week 4 in 2026, Brooks has appeared in five of a possible 51 games.

"Keep the main thing, the main thing," Stewart advised Brooks. "Don't lose the fire for what God has put in you. I'm a firm believer that God doesn't give us anything that we can't handle." Brooks has certainly been given a lot.

But at the end of the day, football is just football, and there is more to life for Brooks and others who might be struggling to stay on the field. "Luckily, he gets the opportunity to come back later in the year. He has something that he has to take care of," Stewart said.

Bryce Young's Improvement

Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young (9) reacts after a play against the Cleveland Browns | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Panthers are 1-2 and dropping like flies, but the talk of the town isn't any of that. It's how well Bryce Young has played in his fourth season. He leads the NFL in passing.

Jonathan Stewart shared a backfield with a former number one overall pick in Cam Newton. Now, he can watch former number one overall pick Bryce Young play as a fan.

"I think everyone's born into a situation that might give you an upper hand or something tougher to crawl through. I think Bryce Young had something tough to crawl through," Stewart said, highlighting the early revolving door of coaches, GMs, and teammates with the Panthers.

But ultimately, Stewart believes it's all made Young better and more confident. He believes Young is a much more confident man now than he was, and he has the capacity to lead from the experiences he's had in the NFL.

Part of it, though, is providing Young with enough support. Or, as Stewart put it, the right seasonings. "[You] see the pieces being added to the seasoning cabinet. Before it was just pepper and salt. Now it's paprika, it's Lowry's it's all the things now. It still takes a cook to be able to put it all together, right? A master chef," he said, highlighting that Young is becoming a master chef.

Oral-B and Crest Partnership

Health matters in football. Staying healthy, as the Panthers are learning, is no easy feat. For Jonathan Stewart, there's more to health than just avoiding injuries. Taking care of one's teeth and mouth is vital, too.

That's why he wanted to partner with Oral-B and Crest for this promotion. "Oral hygiene is a huge thing that I think people forget about," he said. "We talk about gut health, and we talk about staying healthy, and taking care of your teeth, taking care of your mouth is a huge part of that."

Stewart was raised on Oral-B and Crest, and he's raising his own family on the brands as well. "I want it to be so much to the point where it feels weird when we haven't brushed our teeth," the former running back added.

So, when the two brands reached out, Stewart was "ecstatic." He noted, "It was an automatic yes, let's figure it out. Let's figure out how to do a partnership." That partnership includes special Panthers-branded toothbrushes and other things.

It's not always easy to stay on a routine while playing in the NFL, so Stewart always treated it like he was going to stay at someone's house.

"Oral-B, Crest, you know, the feeling that you have when you're going to be on TV, or you're going to be on an interview, or you're going to be out there playing football even, and they catch you on the sideline, you want to make sure those pearly whites are shining bright," he concluded.

Jonathan Stewart's Future

Jonathan Stewart, former Carolina Panther, meets fans at Memorial Stadium at Clemson University | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

For now, Jonathan Stewart is starting a podcast and becoming a bigger fan than he could be when he was playing in the NFL. But in the future, the ex-NFL star said he would one day like to get into broadcasting.

For now, though, he said, "Now that I'm retired, becoming a Carolina Panther fan for real, I'm him. I'm a Carolina Panther fan through and through. An Oregon Duck fan through and through and a Caniac [Carolina Hurricanes fan] through and through."

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