The Carolina Panthers will finish out the season without starting linebacker Shaq Thompson after he sustained an injury in last weekend's loss to the Cincinnati Bengals.
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According to NFL insider Tom Pelissero, sources say the veteran linebacker tore his Achilles. He will have to undergo surgery and will ultimately end up on Injured Reserve. The Carolina Panthers also confirmed the injury on Monday afternoon.
Thompson reposted the news on his Instagram Stories and noted that he has no plans to retire due to the season-ending injury.
"Yall think ima retire!! Ahah yeah right! I'll (be) back," he wrote.
Thompson, one of four players voted to be a team captain this season, sustained the injury during the final play of the third quarter in last weekend's 34-24 loss. He walked off the field under his own power, but he left the field on a cart.
Before the injury, Thompson had registered five combined tackles, taking him to a team-high 35 on the season. Now, the team will move forward with rookie Trevin Wallace as the likely replacement.
This is the second consecutive season cut short by injury. Thompson broke his fibula in Week 2 of the 2023 NFL season. He underwent surgery and missed the remainder of the year as the Panthers went 2-15.
Thompson originally joined the Panthers as a first-round pick in the 2015 NFL Draft. He appeared in 14 games — starting 10 — and registered the first sack of his career as the team went 15-1 and reached the Super Bowl.
Thompson remained a key piece of the defense as the years progressed. He piled up more than 100 combined tackles in four consecutive seasons (2019-22) and he worked his way to fourth on the Panthers all-time tackle list. The only players ahead of him are trailing Luke Kuechly (1,092), Thomas Davis (1,077), and Mike Minter (771).
The injury could mark the end of Thompson's tenure in Carolina. He is set to become an unrestricted free agent after the season, per Spotrac.
