Panthers rookie QB Matt Corral suffers ‘significant’ foot injury

Carolina Panthers rookie quarterback Matt Corral suffered a “significant” Lisfranc injury in Carolina’s 20-10 preseason loss to the New England Patriots on Friday, head coach Matt Rhule announced Saturday.

A Lisfranc injury refers to a type of injury to the bones and/or ligaments in the middle part of one’s foot.

It is a potentially season-ending injury for the Ole Miss product, who joined the Panthers as a third-round pick (No. 94 overall) in the 2022 NFL Draft.

“I hate it for him. I hate it any time one of our guys is hurt,” Rhule said. “I thought he was playing well too. … I know Matt’s a battler, so this year of development, he’s going to have to grind, both taking care of his foot and all the things he needs to do as a quarterback.

“Hopefully some day, he’ll look back and say it was a blessing, but I hate it for him right now.”

Before his injury Friday, Corral completed nine of 15 passes for 58 yards. 

Corral suffered the injury when his left foot was stepped on during Friday’s game, forcing him out to undergo X-rays. Following the contest, he was reportedly spotted leaving the locker room sporting a walking boot.

In Corral’s preseason debut the week prior, he went 1-for-9 for 11 yards as the fourth and final quarterback to take the field in Carolina’s 23-21 win over Washington.

In 2020, Corral completed nearly 71% of his passes for 3,337 yards and 29 touchdown as a sophomore at Ole Miss. He capped off the season by leading the Rebels to an upset win over No. 7 Indiana in the Outback Bowl.

He followed that up with a 3,349-passing yard season in 2021, punching Ole Miss’ ticket to the Sugar Bowl, where Corral suffered a right leg injury that knocked him out for the rest of the game.

Working through injuries isn’t new for Corral, but the Panthers will likely aim to get the 23-year-old back up and running as soon as possible considering the uncertain quarterback situation unfolding in Carolina.

Rhule said the team is “exploring the possibilities” and “the options with the best doctors across the country.”

Corral wasn’t the only Panther to go down Friday. Three players — defensive end Amare Barno (hamstring), running back Spencer Brown (ankle) and safety Juston Burris (ribs) — were unable to return to the game after suffering various injuries.