Post-Traumatic Amnesia: Hayden Hurst’s 2023 Season Tragically Ends After Concussion in Week 10 vs Bears

Things seem to be getting from bad to worse for the Carolina Panthers. After tight end Hayden Hurst suffered a brutal collision in the losing game against the Chicago Bears on November 9, his father announced that he had been diagnosed with post-traumatic amnesia. Even then fans were hopeful that their tight end would only miss a couple of games and be finally back in action to end the season with a bang.

But Friday brought bad news for them. Hayden Hurst had himself posted on X that it was a “scary situation” and he has no memory of up to 4 hours post the hit. Then, he followed it up with “so fingers crossed I make it back for the last few weeks!” Unfortunately, for him, that seems not to be the case.

Hayden Hurst to miss out on the remainder of the season

Ari Meirov took to X to share that the Panthers had placed the tight end on the injured reserve list, thereby bringing this season to an abrupt end for him. Fans were not expecting this as Hurst did run routes and caught passes in a limited capacity in the previous week. While we do not know what was going on behind the scenes, he did appear to be making progress through the concussion protocol.

While there is no indication that the season-ending injury might worsen into a career-ending injury, the Panthers want to be safe than sorry. Keeping his long-term health in mind, it appears that having him out for the rest of the season is the best thing to do. Before he walked out from the gridiron, the 30-year-old had played in nine games and had recorded 18 receptions for 184 yards, and had also managed to score one touchdown.

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Without their TE, how will the Carolina Panthers manage in the upcoming weeks?

What Hurst’s absence mean for the Panthers

The Panthers have registered only one win this season. But there’s no chance of them redeeming themselves next year either as they already traded away their first-round pick to the Bears. With Hurst gone, their tight-end group will be severely crippled. Ian Thomas had missed four games due to being placed on injured reserve with a calf injury. Gio Ricci has been languishing on the same list since October 24 with a shoulder injury.

As of now, Tommy Tremble and Stephen Sullivan are the only two healthy tight ends. Although the Panthers did activate two more from the practice roster, they remain to be tested in a real battle. On Sunday Night Football, they will face the 6-7 Atlanta Falcons. Should the Panthers fans already hang up their jerseys and merchandise and pray for a miracle during the next season? Or is there still hope for them?

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