The NFL season is around the corner, but some are already facing the heat: Carolina Panthers Damarri Mathis, New England Patriots’ Christian Gonzalez and Chicago Bears’ Jaylon Johnson.
NFL Week 1 Injury Update on Carolina Panthers, New England Patriots, Chicago Bears Secondaries
NFL Week 1 Injury Update on CB Damarri Mathis
According to NFL insider Adam Schefter, the former Pittsburgh Panthers player suffered an ACL tear and will miss the entire 2025 season. Reporting it on X, Schefter wrote,
“Panthers CB Damarri Mathis tore his ACL at Wednesday’s practice and is out for the season.”
Panthers CB Damarri Mathis tore his ACL at Wednesday’s practice and is out for the season.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) September 5, 2025
The injury comes as a harder blow for Mathis, who just jumped ships to Carolina after being waived by the Denver Broncos. The 5-feet-11 defensive back was entering the final season of his rookie contract, originally signed after Denver drafted him in the fourth round as the 115th overall pick in 2022.
Mathis had already overcome adversity in his career before the week 1 injury. He missed the entire 2020 college season with a shoulder issue but bounced back hard enough to earn the honorable mention All-ACC in 2021. In the NFL, he played 10 games with Denver in 2024, registering three tackles and one pass deflection before the Broncos released him.
The Panthers, who claimed him off waivers this offseason, saw Mathis as a potential depth piece behind their starting cornerbacks. Instead, he’ll now spend the season rehabbing, while Carolina and quarterback Bryce Young adjust to yet another roster challenge heading into a crucial year of development.
NFL Week 1 Injury Update on CB Christian Gonzalez
After the Panthers, the New England Patriots have another unsettling news: they will be forced to begin the 2025 season without one of their most important defensive pieces. All-Pro cornerback Christian Gonzalez has been ruled out of Sunday’s season opener against the Las Vegas Raiders due to a lingering hamstring injury.
Gonzalez, who emerged as one of the league’s premier shutdown corners in just his second year, first suffered the injury on July 28 during training camp and has yet to return to practice. While head coach Mike Vrabel doesn’t consider the week 1 injury a setback, the extended absence has raised concerns.
There’s optimism that Gonzalez could return by Week 2, when the Patriots face Tyreek Hill and the Miami Dolphins. Meanwhile, the team has not placed him on injured reserve, which suggests they don’t expect him to miss four or more games.
NFL Week 1 Injury Update on CB Jaylon Johnson
The Chicago Bears received a concerning update just days before their Monday Night Football season opener against the Minnesota Vikings. Pro Bowl cornerback Jaylon Johnson continues to deal with calf and groin injuries, casting doubt over his immediate availability.
Johnson, who missed all of training camp and the preseason, was only recently activated from the non-football injury list. According to the team’s first official week 1 injury report, he would have been limited had the Bears practiced Thursday.
The Bears’ defense has landed in hot water as it leans heavily on Johnson’s skill set to lock down opposing receivers and make his recovery critical for their game against the Vikings’ offense led by Justin Jefferson.
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