Things did not look promising for Ikem Ekwonu when he left the Carolina Panthers' wild-card playoff matchup against the Los Angeles Rams early on. Dave Canales said after the agonizing defeat that the problem was significant, and the head coach confirmed the worst fears of everyone associated with the organization on locker room clear-out day.
Canales revealed that Ekwonu suffered a ruptured patellar tendon. It was not the same injury he'd been playing through over the second half of 2025, and he will have surgery before embarking on a lengthy rehabilitation period. It's a body blow for all involved, especially considering the formidable left tackle was set to secure a contract extension this offseason.