According to sources, Carolina Panthers received the best news possible, considering the circumstances, on running back Christian McCaffrey. He will be out for a few games because of the strained hamstring he suffered in Thursday night’s 24-9 win over the Houston Texans.
The injury happened early in the second period when McCaffrey pulled up on a 2-yard run around the left side. McCaffrey left the game in the second quarter. He carried the ball seven times for 31 yards and had two receptions for nine yards before exiting the game.
While test are on-going, the Panthers are not looking to place McCaffrey on the injured reserve list. Not placing him on the injured reserve list gives him the chance to come back sooner rather than later. Players can be designated to return after three weeks on injured reserve, so the team clearly feels his recovery timeline is shorter.
McCaffrey was not the only injury on Thursday night. First-round draft pick Jaycee Horn suffered multiple breaks in his right foot against the Texans, Panthers coach Matt Rhule said to the media after the game. Results of the test Horn underwent in Charlotte on Friday were not immediately known.
Former tight end Greg Olsen suffered a similar injury four years ago when he broke his fifth metatarsal in his right foot and missed nine weeks, including a bye week.
Horn took to Twitter on Friday addressing his injury saying he will “be back stronger.”
When asked by the media if the Panthers could sustain their success without McCaffrey, left tackle Cameron Erving said, “We’re a football team. We’re not the Carolina Christian McCaffreys.”
Quarterback Sam Darnold said McCaffrey was “sad” when they communicated after the game. Darnold said he told McCaffrey it was vital that he not hurry back and rush his recovery process and assured him “we’ll be all right without him.” “Obviously, we want him back,” Darnold said. “But I want him to take his time right now and make sure he’s good for the end of the season.”
The undefeated (3-0) Panthers’ upcoming schedule is with the Dallas Cowboys (1-1), Philadelphia Eagles (1-1) and Minnesota Vikings (0-2) over the next three weeks.
