Sam Darnold Ruled Out by Panthers vs. Falcons After Suffering Concussion

Carolina Panthers quarterback Sam Darnold exited Sunday's game against the Atlanta Falcons with a concussion.

The New York Jets brought an end to the Darnold era when they traded him to the Carolina Panthers in April, with BYU's Zach Wilson taking over as the new franchise quarterback.

Perhaps the coaching change from Adam Gase to Robert Saleh would have been enough to get the 24-year-old's career back on track in the Big Apple, but a fresh start was probably the best outcome. Escaping the scrutiny that comes with playing in one of the world's biggest media markets likely felt good as well.

Through seven games in Carolina, he has thrown for 1,685 yards, seven touchdowns and eight interceptions. His performance has leveled off following a bright start.

Darnold is approaching a somewhat pivotal point in his career as his rookie contract steadily nears its expiration. The Panthers picked up his $18.9 million option for 2022, so he's due to hit free agency in 2023. With that in mind, suffering an injury during the 2021 season will do him no favors.

Having traded away Teddy Bridgewater, Carolina will be looking at P.J. Walker as the starting quarterback with Darnold out of action.