Panthers’ Tershawn Wharton Suffers Unusual Injury During Walkthrough, Misses Week 15
The NFL season always delivers its fair share of bizarre injury stories, and the Carolina Panthers just added a new one to the list. Defensive lineman Tershawn Wharton was a surprise addition to the Week 15 injury report, and the reason?
A hamstring injury suffered during a walkthrough. Yes, a walkthrough.
Head coach Dave Canales shed some light on the incident Monday, and you could hear the frustration in his voice.
“Walkthrough. Walkthrough, hamstring,” Canales said, shaking his head.
“Honestly, he tripped. He tripped on a teammate and put his foot down to try to gather himself, and that was enough to do it.
And it was really unfortunate. I think, in my 16 years, that’s the first time that’s ever happened.”
That’s not exactly the kind of sentence you expect to hear when breaking down a Week 15 injury report. But for Wharton, it was a tough blow at the worst possible time. According to Canales, the veteran lineman was fired up to play against the Saints and took the setback hard.
“He was excited to be out there. He was very upset, very disappointed,” Canales added.
Wharton, now in his sixth NFL season, has already battled through injuries this year. He missed two games earlier in the season with a hamstring issue and sat out two more due to a toe injury. This latest setback, especially coming during a non-contact walkthrough, is just another frustrating chapter in what’s been a stop-and-start campaign for the veteran.
He was ruled out for Sunday’s 20-17 loss to New Orleans, a game where Carolina’s defense could’ve used every available body. While the Panthers hung in and made it close, the absence of a rotational piece like Wharton was felt, especially up front where depth matters late in the season.
Injuries are part of the grind, but ones like this - a simple misstep during a light practice - are a reminder of just how fragile availability can be in the NFL. For Wharton and the Panthers, the hope now is that the injury isn’t severe and that he can return soon. But for now, this one goes down as one of the more unusual moments in an already unpredictable season.