Carolina Panthers running back Christian McCaffrey suffered a high ankle sprain Sunday and will be sidelined multiple weeks, coach Matt Rhule announced Monday.
“I hate it for him. No one wants to be out there and play more than Christian does, but everything happens for a reason,” Rhule said, according to the team’s website. “I’m sure he’ll rehab. I’m sure he’s rehabbing right now. I talked to him earlier today and he’ll get back as soon as he can.”
McCaffrey was injured with 13:30 remaining in Carolina’s 31-17 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
He had 18 rushes for 59 yards and two touchdowns and four catches before the injury, which occurred during a 7-yard touchdown run. He walked off the field with a limp after the touchdown and did not return.
The Panthers made McCaffrey the NFL’s highest-paid running back during the offseason with a four-year, $64 million extension.
McCaffrey is coming off a 2019 season in which he became the third player in NFL history to have 1,000 yards rushing and receiving in the same season.
