Taylor Moton is on track to make his season debut against the Eagles in Philadelphia, but the Panthers right tackle’s return comes after a frightening medical episode that put everything else on hold.
Moton recently described dealing with multiple blood clots in his right lung, an ordeal that began when he started coughing up blood and felt it moving through his chest.
“I started coughing up blood - and it was like a lot of it,” Moton told ESPN. “And I could start feeling it leaking through my chest even - something like really different.
So, after 15-or-something minutes, I was like ‘Yeah, I’ve got to go to the hospital.’ Went to the hospital, they were doing CT scans, ultrasounds, trying to find what was going on.
And that’s when they found a multitude of clots in my right lung. … So from there, they put me on blood thinners, and other than that I was just working.
I just couldn’t have contact on the blood thinners cause having contact on blood thinners can lead to like a brain bleed … but ultimately doing everything I could to just work and simulate football without the contact up until then.”
Moton said he spent the stretch weighing the risk of coming off the blood thinners against the possibility of getting back on the field.
“Ultimately, I had to just weigh the pros and cons of getting off the blood thinners, and then being able to play ball and the chance of it happening [again],” Moton said. “The chances [of a recurrence] are relatively low right now, after being on the blood thinners for three months.
Honestly, it gave me more gratitude for life in general. I’m going into it preparing to play.
But ultimately, whether I do or not, that’s not my decision. That’s the higher-ups, right?
So, I’m just doing everything I can to prepare as if I’m going in playing.”
Elsewhere on the Panthers’ injury front, head coach Dave Canales said defensive tackle Cam Jackson is scheduled to undergo season-ending shoulder surgery, per Mike Kaye.
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Taylor Moton Returns After Frightening Scare In Huge Panthers Boost
Taylor Moton was back on the practice field for Carolina this week after a frightening health scare that briefly pulled the veteran right tackle away from football altogether. He had been diagnosed with a pulmonary embolism, a diagnosis serious enough to bring coughing up blood and a three-month stretch on blood thinners, but even while he was sidelined from playing, Moton stayed around the team and helped coach the offensive line.
For the Panthers, his return is about more than just getting a starting tackle back in the mix. Motons presence steadies a unit that leaned on his experience even when he could not suit up, and coach Dave Canales has made clear he expects that influence to continue. The next question is how quickly Moton can ramp back up after missing game action, but simply getting him back on the field is a major step for a team that has already had to adjust without him. [Read more 🡒]
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Dan Morgan Has A Panthers Roster Decision Fans Should Watch
The Panthers roster is opening up at an interesting time, with defensive tackle Cam Jackson going on injured reserve because of a shoulder injury. Carolina also designated Trevor Etienne, Taylor Moton and Tershawn Wharton to return to practice, though Etienne is the only one expected back in the lineup soon. That leaves Dan Morgan with some room to maneuver, and the next move is less about filling one hole than deciding how best to use the extra space.
Moton and Wharton each come with their own timelines, and the Panthers have three weeks to determine whether either player is ready to be activated. Morgan has some flexibility here, and the choice could say plenty about how the team views its depth and immediate needs. For a roster that is still sorting out who can help now and who needs more time, these are the kind of decisions that tend to matter later. [Read more 🡒]