Sam Darnold's tenure with the Carolina Panthers just added injury to insult.
In the fourth quarter of the Panthers' game against the Atlanta Falcons, Darnold kept the ball on an option and ran left. He was met head-on by Falcons linebacker Foyesade Oluokun. Darnold's helmet popped off and he was helped up by teammates.
Sam Darnold just got BLASTED 😳
— Action Network NFL (@ActionNetNFL) October 31, 2021
The massive hit left Darnold out of the game for good with a concussion.
Article Continues BelowBackup quarterback P.J. Walker sealed Carolina's fourth win of the season with a score of 19-13. Darnold wasn't the only player to suffer a big hit at the hands of Carolina's division rival. In the first quarter, wide receiver Robby Anderson got decked by Atlanta safety Erik Harris.
After Carolina traded three draft picks to the New York Jets to obtain the former third overall pick, Darnold has thrown for just 1,685 yards and seven touchdowns and eight interceptions entering Week 8. His five rushing touchdowns haven't been enough to offset his deficiency as a passer. He was benched during last week's loss to the New York Giants.
The Panthers' need for a quarterback is so dire that they are, according to rumors, willing to part with superstar running back Christian McCaffrey and three draft picks for Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson, whose ability to play this season is in limbo while he is under investigation for multiple accounts of sexual assault.