DJ Johnson accident: Will he play this week against the Bucs?
DJ Johnson has been ruled out from the Week 18 matchup against the Falcons after a serious car accident that resulted in a concussion.
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DJ Johnson (Via Panthers Wire)
This season, as the Carolina Panthers struggled significantly by finishing with a division-worst record of 4-12 record, there have been very few bright spots. One of which was the linebacker DJ Johnson, however Week 18 brought along devastating news about him, making him ruled out in the final showdown of the regular season.
The Panthers shocked everyone by announcing that Johnson has been ruled out from the matchup against the Atlanta Falcons on Friday. And it wasn’t until later that day that they revealed the reason was a serious car accident.
While talking to the reporters on Friday, head coach Dave Canales confirmed that the star linebacker had been in a serious car accident that resulted in a concussion. Though his condition is not life-threatening, the team has placed him on the non-football injury list.
It was a car accident, first and foremost, and that’s pretty much what I know about it. Enough to the point where he’s in evaluation right now.
Dave Canales said via The Athletic’s Joe Person
Dave Canales says DJ Johnson was involved in a car accident. Not sure on his condition, but not life-threatening. pic.twitter.com/Fv6m6dEyKA
— Joe Person (@josephperson) January 3, 2025
Johnson has been a significant part of the Panthers’ defense in both his seasons. In his rookie season, he picked up 44 tackles and an assisted sack along with 16 tackles. As for this season– he may not have had much chance to start but two was just enough to post one of the highest count of tackles in the team.
Besides him, linebacker Amare Barno has also been ruled out due to a shoulder injury, Josey Jewell with a concussion, cornerback Jaycee Horn with a hip injury, and defensive back Lonnie Johnson Jr. with shoulder and neck injuries; has also been ruled out for the final game.
Carolina Panthers conclude another tough season with 4-12 record
After finishing last season at 2-15, the Panthers endured another challenging season in 2024 as they are ranked at the very bottom of the NFC North with a 4-12 season record. As they are about to conclude the season, they shall shift their focus to the upcoming drafts.
The upside of ending a season with a humiliating 4-12 is the possibility of earning a high draft pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. As roster change appears to be in hindsight to rejuvenate the team and prepare for next season, a good draft pick would be used for the most important position– quarterback.
Bryce Young’s stint with the Panthers is surrounded by uncertainties as the quarterback also wondered about his future after he was benched earlier in the season over veteran Andy Dalton.
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Pratyusha Srivastava
(2078 Articles Published)