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Carolina Black Panther Left tackle Ikem Ekwonu may not have been ready for the team’s season opening game against the Jacksonville Jaguars after undergoing emergency appendectomy last week.
Ekwonu, 24, went to the team facility last weekend and complained about stomach pain. The team’s medical staff checked him Recommended emergency surgery.
Black Panther Coach Dave Canal tells reporters Last Wednesday, Ekwonu will be “everyday, until the game.”
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Carolina Panthers offensive tackle Ikem Ekwonu (79) played against the Arizona Cardinals at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina on December 22, 2024. (Jim Dedmon/Imagn image)
Ekwonu did not participate in the team’s exercises on Monday Team’s website.
Panthers pick Ekwanu in 2022 NFL Draft, In the first three seasons of the NFL, North Carolina’s products have lasted. Ekwonu started all 17 games in each of his first two seasons and started 15 of his 17 games last season.
The recovery time of the appendix program varies. The Pittsburgh Steelers Safety Minkah Fitzpatrick missed just eight days in 2022, while former Green Bay Packers left tackle David Bakhtiari missed three games the same season after the surgery.
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Carolina Panthers offensive tackle Ikem Ekwonu (79) in the second half at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina on October 13, 2024. (Jim Dedmon/Imagn image)
If Ekwonu can’t compete with the Jaguars, the team may turn to the backup Yosh Nijman.
Nijman will enter his sixth season NFL. He spent the first three of his career in the final two seasons with the Green Bay Packers and the Panthers.
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Carolina Panthers offensive tackle Ikem Ekwonu (79) during a mini-training camp at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina on June 11, 2025. (Jim Dedmon/Imagn image)
The 29-year-old started 25 of his 83 appearances. Last season, Taylor Moton started three games on a right tackle when he was injured.
Panthers play Jaguar On the road on September 7th.
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