Injury bug won't leave Panthers alone, bites Rico Dowdle, Xavier Legette

Like a pesky mosquito, the injury bug keeps swarming.

Oct 12, 2025; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Panthers running back Rico Dowdle (5) looks on after the game against the Dallas Cowboys at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Scott Kinser-Imagn Images | Scott Kinser-Imagn Images

The Carolina Panthers just can't stay healthy. One player returns, and two more go down after him. Last week, the Panthers lost an incomprehensible amount of players. Taylor Moton, Derrick Brown, Trevin Wallace, and more left the loss against Buffalo. Even Andy Dalton, who stayed in, suffered a thumb injury.

Now, the injury bug is back again. The Panthers lost Damien Lewis for a bit earlier in this game, and then Chandler Zavala, just activated off of the Injured Reserve, went down after him. Rico Dowdle, after a 29-yard run, came up limping and had to be examined. He later returned, but he still got hurt and is banged up now.

Then, on a huge catch by Xavier Legette, he had to be helped off after being hit hard by a defensive back. It's midway through the second quarter, and the Panthers are trotting out reserves at an unfortunate rate.

The offensive line is taking the worst of it. They're already missing Robert Hunt, Cade Mays, Moton, and Brady Christensen. Some players that fans might not have even heard of, like Jake Curhan, are playing a lot of snaps. It has been really frustrating.

For a team built on the run game and winning the trenches, not to mention protecting Bryce Young (who was hurt last week himself), this is a really bad break. If anyone else goes down, the Panthers might have to get really creative up front against Micah Parsons and company.

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