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Carolina Panthers left Tackle Ikem Ekwonu may not be ready for the team’s seasonal opening game against Jacksonville Jaguars after he underwent an emergency surgery last week.
Ekwonu, 24, went to the team facility last weekend and complained about abdominal pain. He was controlled by the team’s medical staff who recommended emergency surgery.
Panthers coach Dave Canales told journalists last Wednesday that Ekwonu would be “day to day, right up to the game.”
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Carolina Panthers Offensive Tackle Ikem Ekwonu (79) takes the field during the first quarter against Arizona Cardinals at Bank of America Stadium on December 22, 2024 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Jim Dedmon/Imag- Pictures)
Ekwonu did not participate in the team’s practice on Monday according to the team’s website.
Panthers chose Ekwonu with the total overall election in the 2022 NFL draft, and the North Carolina State product has been durable throughout his first three seasons in the NFL. Ekwonu started all 17 games in each of its first two seasons and started 15 of 17 games last season.
Players’ recovery times for appendic procedures vary. Then Pittsburgh Steelers Safety Minkah Fitzpatrick missed just eight days in 2022, while former Green Bay Packers left Tackle David Bakhtiari missed three games that season after the procedure.
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Carolina Panthers offensive tackle Ikem Ekwonu (79) looks at during the second half of the Bank of America Stadium on October 13, 2024 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Jim Dedmon/Imag- Pictures)
If Ekwonu is unable to start against Jaguars, the team is likely to turn to backup Yosh Nijman.
Nijman is ready to enter his sixth season in the NFL. He spent the first three seasons in his career with Green Bay Packers and the last two with Panthers.
Carolina Panthers Offensive Tackle Ikem Ekwonu (79) under MiniCamp at Bank of America Stadium on June 11, 2025 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Jim Dedmon/Imag- Pictures)
The 29-year-old started 25 of the 83 matches he performed in. Last season he started three games right tackle when Taylor Moton was injured.
Panthers will play jaguars on the road on September 7 at 1 p.m. 13 et.
