ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports Panthers LT Ikem Ekwonu suffered a ruptured patellar tendon in the Wild Card Round against the Rams.

11 January 2026

Per Schefter, Ekwonu will undergo surgery and his availability for Week 1 of the 2026 season is in doubt. It’s a brutal end to the season for him and the Panthers. Now Carolina will likely have to spend a bit more on a backup tackle in the offseason. Pro Football Focus has Ekwonu graded as a top-40 tackle this year. He had just one year left on his contract and was likely eying an extension in the spring. Ekwonu might be forced to wait until next year to ink a new deal.