Panthers tight end Ja’Tavion Sanders rejoined the team on Monday after an injury scare in Sunday’s loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.
Carolina coach Dave Canales said Sanders was in the building the day after being taken off the field on a stretcher to the hospital for tests. According to Canales, the Panthers and medical personnel are still working through a full evaluation of the injury.
Sanders “avoided a really bad injury,” Canales said Monday.
Late in the second quarter Sunday, Sanders was brought down near the sideline after a 10-yard reception and at contact was flipped upside down. He landed directly on the top of his helmet as he went out of bounds on the tackle by cornerback Trent McDuffie. After receiving attention from the team’s medical staff, Sanders was strapped to a backboard and taken off the field on a cart with 40 seconds remaining in the first half. He was taken to Atrium Health Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte for observation and later released Sunday afternoon.
The 21-year-old rookie out of Texas had a team-leading three receptions for the Panthers at the half for 49 yards. In 11 games this season, Sanders has 29 receptions — fourth on the team — for 302 yards and a touchdown.
Sanders was a fourth-round selection in the NFL draft in April.
