During the Week 12 matchup against the Kansas City Chiefs, Carolina Panthers rookie tight end Ja’Tavion Sanders had to be carted off the field.

As the Panthers were pushing into Chiefs territory in the closing moments of the first half, Sanders caught a 10-yard pass from quarterback Bryce Young. In an attempt to gain a first down, he was knocked over by Chiefs cornerback Trent McDuffie and fell hard, landing on the back of his head.

Although Sanders could move after the tackle, he stayed on the ground until medical staff arrived. The trainers used a backboard and carted him off the field for further assessment.

Injury Update on Ja’Tavion Sanders

Late in the second quarter, Sanders left the game against the Chiefs after sustaining a neck injury from the tackle.

About 20 minutes later, the team announced that he would not return due to the injury and that he had been taken to the hospital for additional examination, as reported by Panthers writer Darin Gantt.

Panthers Tight End Depth Chart

Following Sanders’ exit for the rest of the game, here’s how the Panthers’ tight end position stands for the remainder of the Week 12 contest:

• Tommy Tremble
• Feleipe Franks

Tremble was selected by the Panthers in the third round of the 2021 draft. Franks, initially a quarterback who entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent in 2021, switched to tight end in 2022 and joined the Panthers last offseason.

Updates on this story will follow.