Ickey has A Ruptured Patellar Tendon. Evero will return as DC in 2026 (Panthers Press Conference)

[Hoenheim]

Canales just confirmed this in a press conference. 

Google says recovery timeliness is 6 months to 12 months but that's obviously for a normal person probably and not a gigantic football player 

Damn shame for Ickey 

Canales also confirmed that Evero will be retained as defensive coordinator in the same press conference for next year. Huge bombshell!!! Lot of people won't like that lol

 

Edited January 11 by Hoenheim

[Evil Hurney]

Bears lost their LT to the same injury last night. SMH

[PootieNunu]

1 minute ago, Hoenheim said:

Canales just confirmed this in a press conference. 

Google says recovery timeliness is 6 months to 12 months but that's obviously for a normal person probably and not a gigantic football player 

Damn shame for Ickey 

So we need a LT for next season.

Sucks for Icky he was probably going to get a nice contract.

[Growl]

Itll be something to watch. Timeline for nfl players is typically going to be on the faster end given the availability of care, but it will depend on the severity as well. Still, it was time to start thinking about another OT addition anyways. 

Edited January 11 by Growl

[45catfan]

While acknowledging neither is good, is a patellar tendon tear worse of better than an ACL as far as recovery and length of career are concerned?

[Jackie Lee]

Not good. 

From the study on return to play:

The overall RTP for PT tears was 55.4% (31/56). For players with PT tears, 21.4% (12/56) returned to their prior performance level within 2 years, with 7 players doing so during the next season and 5 players doing so during the second post-injury season. 

Essentially, 45.6% of players with that injury never return to NFL action. And nearly 80% of players didn't return within two seasons.

https://ftw.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/2025/08/07/rashawn-slater-tears-patellar-tendon-timeline-to-return-injury/85567450007/#:~:text=The overall RTP for PT,Featured Weekly Ad

[WarPanthers89]

Terrible news. Worse than expected. He won’t be back next year anywhere near his performing level. This is a career defining injury, not a routine one and will absolutely impact his contract now 

Edited January 11 by WarPanthers89

[jopie87]

Gotta go out and draft 8 guys that are scheme fits since they are rolling with Evero. Not sure how they expect a different result otherwise 

[TLGPanthersFan]

Evero’s stupid soft zone coverage should be a fireable offense. Bringing him back is stupid. 

[jopie87]

1 minute ago, WarPanthers89 said:

Terrible news. Worse than expected. He won’t be back next year anywhere near his performing level. 

If he comes back, hes likely a guard from this point on. Feeling gutted.

[OneBadCat]

Does that make retaining Christensen a priority?

[kass]

So... LT is a new big need. 

Pass rusher... LB, S. When can we take a chance on a QB.

Free agency will be interesting.  

[Hoenheim]

1 minute ago, TLGPanthersFan said:

Evero’s stupid soft zone coverage should be a fireable offense. Bringing him back is stupid. 

 

2 minutes ago, jopie87 said:

Gotta go out and draft 8 guys that are scheme fits since they are rolling with Evero. Not sure how they expect a different result otherwise 

I think it's apparent that Canales personally likes Evero. Since he went from winning 5 games in 2024 to winning 8 games and going to the playoffs in 2025. We're likelu going to be stuck with Evero unless

1) Evero decides to leave for a higher position (ex head coach job)

2) Canales has a very bad season where we win 5 or fewer games in 2026. That would put pressure in him to change coordinators. 

 

Basically we're fuged. I don't see evero getting a HC job this off season.

[PantherChris]

8 minutes ago, 45catfan said:

While acknowledging neither is good, is a patellar tendon tear worse of better than an ACL as far as recovery and length of career are concerned?

Its worse, its a longer recovery and a longer time to return full functionality, tendons are always worse.