CHARLOTTE — For the most part, Jonathon Brooks has taken a day-by-day approach to his return from back-to-back ACL tears. He knew it would be a long journey. He knew getting back on the field for a training camp would take time after the most recent tear in December of 2024. And through every step of the process, he did his best to simply keep his eyes on the day in front of him.
But he's human, and a competitor. Even when at his most disciplined, he couldn't help but look ahead, mentally circling certain days on his calendar. And one of those days? The first padded practice of a training camp when he could once again take a hit at full speed.
That day finally came Tuesday.
"I think in the back of my mind, obviously as a football player you have to get back out there," admitted Brooks after that first practice with a hit. "Be able to learn how to take hits, learn how to get your contact balance right back.
"Obviously the first day of pads, it was good. I think, as a team, we could have had a better day, but it was good to be out there and have fun with our teammates. It was a blessing."
There were things he wanted to test, of course, such as his ability to cut in the open field. He did so with what appeared to be ease on the eventual play of the day. And he needed to test his speed, after never topping out at 100 percent during OTAs. On Tuesday, that changed.
"Yes, sir," he smiled and nodded in answer to whether or not he hit full speed. "I feel like I was. I feel like I'm back to 100% getting out there and having fun with it."
He also wanted to test his ability to take and respond from a tackle. Because thudding up can prepare a person only so much, it's entirely different to take Derrick Brown on when he's going full throttle.
"That's also a part of the game, also a part of the mentality, part of coming back from injury, especially a lower body injury, being able to be tackled again," admitted Brooks. "I feel like that would be another confidence booster getting tackled, for the first time."
Luckily, Brooks bounced back just fine.
He's tested his pass-catching ability again, working a lot on screens and wheel routes as the Panthers learn all the different ways they can use this versatile piece. It was something he did in college at Texas as well, pulling in 25 catches for 286 yards and a touchdown his final season with the Longhorns. It's an aspect of his game that coach Dave Canales has been excited about for a while.
"It's a fun YouTube watch if you ever get a second to just go back and they got a bunch of his plays and I would say half of them are on screens and checkdowns in the flat where he's able to make somebody miss and when he gets a beat on it, he can finish," bragged Canales of his back. "He's got finishing speed, so that's a big part of his game."
It's a luxury though, not a necessity, and won't be Brooks' only role in this offense.
"While we know we can utilize that part, first and foremost, he's a running back," continued Canales. "Just making sure that he's on the right track, he's reading the runs the right way, pressing the blocks to help his O-line out, stay connected and all that. That's first and foremost, and then all the other things will come off of it."
From the cuts to the speed, passes to breakaway runs, every new benchmark met was proof to Brooks he was ready; ready to take a hit, ready to break a run, ready to help his team in the way all have hoped for and imagined since he was the first running back taken in the 2024 draft class.
"It felt good to be back out there, just trusting the process that the trainers and coaches had for me, and just ultimately believing in myself throughout the whole rehab process. It was a blessing to be able to be back out there," he said.
"I think as a human, it's good for you to reflect, to know where you come from. It also helps (as) motivation to where you're going. And for me, being back out there, it definitely is a confidence booster to know that I'm fully healed and I can take hits again and I can be out there with my teammates, full speed, having fun, cutting, doing everything that I need to do to help the team."
A large part of the reason he is here, though, able to help the team, is because of how much the team has helped him the past two years, particularly Chuba Hubbard. The running back duo has developed a deep friendship which has been on display for some time now. Debates on the practice field, competitions in the offseason, the presence at big moments in each other's lives, all publicly show the bond they've created. It's the quiet moments though that have helped Brooks get back here with the right attitude.
"To be honest, it sounds cliché to say, but I don't know where I would be (without him) because he's helped me throughout since I first got here," Brooks reflected. "I came in with an injury, and he helped me; he took me under his wing and really guided me: how to rehab, how to practice, how to learn, how to take notes and all of that. And then, especially when I got hurt again, he was right there with me; he helped me throughout the whole way."
They are the kind of lessons Brooks can now pass on to outside linebacker Nic Scourton, who tore his ACL in practice last Thursday.
"Definitely. I check in every time I see him throughout the facility," shared Brooks. Scourton was on hand Tuesday, hanging out on the sidelines with his teammates and doing some preliminary workouts to better prepare him for surgery.
"I text him, I let him know that God's with him, that this injury is something small to where he's going, and it's something he can bounce back from because there's proof in the pudding. And whenever you trust in God, he's always going to make things right, whether it's on your timeline or His," preached Brooks.
"It took me two times to really understand it, for Him to set me back. I think it was a blessing in disguise for me to learn more, build my body more, become smarter for the game of football."
Now, Jonathon Brooks is here. Lessons learned, dates reached, benchmarks passed. The next big one will be a game. He has some time until then, though after the last year-and-a-half, that time will pass in the blink of an eye. So, he'll do what he's always done; take it day by day, focusing on what's in front of him, but every so often, casting a glance at what's ahead.
"I'm just taking it day by day," he reiterated. "I want to be able to be focused on each day that I'm in for camp. I just want to be able to be out there, know what I'm doing, help the team in any way I can, and just have my brothers' backs."
Take a look at Tuesday's training camp practice photos, where the Panthers were joined by legends Steve Smith Sr. and Chad "Ochocinco" Johnson.
JJ Jansen and Ryan Fitzgerald are seen during Carolina Panthers training camp Tuesday, Jul. 28, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
Carolina Panthers training camp Tuesday, Jul. 28, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
Trevis Gipson is seen during Carolina Panthers training camp Tuesday, Jul. 28, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
Lee Hunter is seen during Carolina Panthers training camp Tuesday, Jul. 28, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
Miles Davis is seen during Carolina Panthers training camp Tuesday, Jul. 28, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
Parker Petersen is seen during Carolina Panthers training camp Tuesday, Jul. 28, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
Aaron Hall and Chad Johnson are seen during Carolina Panthers training camp Tuesday, Jul. 28, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
Ainias Smith is seen during Carolina Panthers training camp Tuesday, Jul. 28, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
Albert Reese IV is seen during Carolina Panthers training camp Tuesday, Jul. 28, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
Bam Martin-Scott is seen during Carolina Panthers training camp Tuesday, Jul. 28, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
Bryce Young is seen during Carolina Panthers training camp Tuesday, Jul. 28, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
Bryce Young and Chad Johnson are seen during Carolina Panthers training camp Tuesday, Jul. 28, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
Bryce Young and Kenny Pickett are seen during Carolina Panthers training camp Tuesday, Jul. 28, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
Cam Miller is seen during Carolina Panthers training camp Tuesday, Jul. 28, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
Chau Smith-Wade and Steve Smith are seen during Carolina Panthers training camp Tuesday, Jul. 28, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
Chuba Hubbard is seen during Carolina Panthers training camp Tuesday, Jul. 28, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
Dave Canales and Chad Johnson are seen during Carolina Panthers training camp Tuesday, Jul. 28, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
David Moore is seen during Carolina Panthers training camp Tuesday, Jul. 28, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
Derrick Brown and Saahdiq Charles are seen during Carolina Panthers training camp Tuesday, Jul. 28, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
Devin Lloyd is seen during Carolina Panthers training camp Tuesday, Jul. 28, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
Devin Lloyd is seen during Carolina Panthers training camp Tuesday, Jul. 28, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
Isaiah Simmons and Chad Johnson are seen during Carolina Panthers training camp Tuesday, Jul. 28, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
Isaiah Smith is seen during Carolina Panthers training camp Tuesday, Jul. 28, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
Isaiah Smith and Caden Prieskorn are seen during Carolina Panthers training camp Tuesday, Jul. 28, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
Ja'seem Reed is seen during Carolina Panthers training camp Tuesday, Jul. 28, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
Ja'Tavion Sanders is seen during Carolina Panthers training camp Tuesday, Jul. 28, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
James Mitchell is seen during Carolina Panthers training camp Tuesday, Jul. 28, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
Jared Harrison-Hunte is seen during Carolina Panthers training camp Tuesday, Jul. 28, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
Jaycee Horn, Mike Jackson and Chad Johnson are seen during Carolina Panthers training camp Tuesday, Jul. 28, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
Jaycee Horn, Mike Jackson and Chad Johnson are seen during Carolina Panthers training camp Tuesday, Jul. 28, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
Jimmy Horn Jr. and Chad Johnson are seen during Carolina Panthers training camp Tuesday, Jul. 28, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
John Metchie III is seen during Carolina Panthers training camp Tuesday, Jul. 28, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
Jonathon Brooks is seen during Carolina Panthers training camp Tuesday, Jul. 28, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
Jonathon Brooks is seen during Carolina Panthers training camp Tuesday, Jul. 28, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
Kenny Pickett is seen during Carolina Panthers training camp Tuesday, Jul. 28, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
Lee Hunter is seen during Carolina Panthers training camp Tuesday, Jul. 28, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
Luke Fortner is seen during Carolina Panthers training camp Tuesday, Jul. 28, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
Mike Jackson and Chad Johnson are seen during Carolina Panthers training camp Tuesday, Jul. 28, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
Mike Jackson is seen during Carolina Panthers training camp Tuesday, Jul. 28, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
Mike Jackson, Chad Johnson, Isaiah Simmons and Jaycee Horn are seen during Carolina Panthers training camp Tuesday, Jul. 28, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
Nick Scott and Jonathon Brooks are seen during Carolina Panthers training camp Tuesday, Jul. 28, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
Patrick Jones II is seen during Carolina Panthers training camp Tuesday, Jul. 28, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
Princely Umanmielen and Chad Johnson are seen during Carolina Panthers training camp Tuesday, Jul. 28, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
Princely Umanmielen and Chad Johnson are seen during Carolina Panthers training camp Tuesday, Jul. 28, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
Princely Umanmielen is seen during Carolina Panthers training camp Tuesday, Jul. 28, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
Saahdiq Charles is seen during Carolina Panthers training camp Tuesday, Jul. 28, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
Sam Hecht and Feleipe Franks are seen during Carolina Panthers training camp Tuesday, Jul. 28, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
Steve Smith Sr. and Chad Johnson are seen during Carolina Panthers training camp Tuesday, Jul. 28, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
Thomas Incoom and Elijah Garcia are seen during Carolina Panthers training camp Tuesday, Jul. 28, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
Tommy Tremble is seen during Carolina Panthers training camp Tuesday, Jul. 28, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
Trevis Gipson is seen during Carolina Panthers training camp Tuesday, Jul. 28, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
Will Lee III is seen during Carolina Panthers training camp Tuesday, Jul. 28, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
Xavier Legette and Chad Johnson are seen during Carolina Panthers training camp Tuesday, Jul. 28, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
Xavier Legette is seen during Carolina Panthers training camp Tuesday, Jul. 28, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
Xavier Legette is seen during Carolina Panthers training camp Tuesday, Jul. 28, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
Zakee Wheatley, Claudin Cherelus, Luke Fortner, Bryce Young and Jared Harrison-Hunte are seen during Carolina Panthers training camp Tuesday, Jul. 28, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
Tetairoa McMillan, Chad Johnson and Bryce Young are seen during Carolina Panthers training camp Tuesday, Jul. 28, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
