Carolina Panthers rookie Ja’Tavion Sanders was carted off the field during the Week 12 game against the Kansas City Chiefs after landing awkwardly on his head.
With 24 seconds left in the first half, the Panthers were headed for a score. Sanders caught a 10-yard pass from Bryce Young and flipped it in the air after an interception by Trent McDuffie. The 6-foot-4, 253-pound tight end landed on his head and couldn’t get up from the sideline after the collision, even though he was moving.
Teammates quickly gathered around Sanders as he remained on the turf. The athletic trainers placed him on the backboard and took him to the locker room. The tight end appeared to raise his arms as he was taken off the field.
Sanders was taken to a nearby hospital to be evaluated for his injuries Athletic’s Joe Person. The team confirmed has movement in its extremities.
Carolina went on to kick a field goal after Sanders left the game, closing the score at 20-9 at halftime. Before the injury, Sanders was the Panthers’ leading receiver with three catches for 49 yards.
Sanders was the Panthers’ fourth-round pick (101st overall) in the 2024 NFL Draft out of Texas. In three seasons with the Longhorns, he caught 99 passes for 1,295 yards and seven touchdowns. With Carolina, the rookie has 26 receptions for 253 yards and a touchdown in 10 games (five starts).