Panthers left tackle Ickey Ekwonu ruled out with knee injury

David NewtonJan 10, 2026, 05:20 PM ET

CloseDavid Newton is an NFL reporter at ESPN and covers the Carolina Panthers. Newton began covering Carolina in 1995 and came to ESPN in 2006 as a NASCAR reporter before joining NFL Nation in 2013.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Carolina Panthers left tackle Ickey Ekwonu suffered a knee injury and was ruled out of the rest of Saturday’s NFC wild-card game against the Los Angeles Rams.

Ekwonu was injured during the first quarter and was replaced by veteran Yosh Nijman.

Ekwonu underwent an MRI on a knee in a mid-December game because he was feeling discomfort.

The sixth pick of the 2022 draft missed the following week’s game against Tampa Bay.