Christian McCaffrey Out for Season After Being Placed on IR with Ankle Injury

Carolina Panthers running back Christian McCaffrey will miss the remainder of the season after being placed on injured reserve with an ankle injury.

It is McCaffrey's second stint on injured reserve, making him ineligible to return for the Panthers.

The 25-year-old was reportedly seen wearing a walking boot after suffering a left ankle injury in Carolina's Week 12 loss to the Miami Dolphins on Nov. 28. He finished the game with 10 carries for 35 yards, as he didn't receive a touch in the second half.

McCaffrey is one of the best running backs in the NFL, but he has struggled to stay on the field. He has missed 18 games over the past two seasons, including five this year with a hamstring issue. A high ankle sprain and shoulder and thigh injuries limited him to three games in 2020.

Through seven games this season, the Stanford product rushed for 442 yards and one touchdown. McCaffrey also caught 37 passes for 343 yards and a touchdown. Carolina is 1-4 when he's out of the lineup.

The eighth overall pick in the 2017 NFL draft, McCaffrey was named a second-team All-Pro in 2018 and a first-team All-Pro the following year. He was also named to his first Pro Bowl in 2019 after becoming the third player in league history to have 1,000 yards rushing and receiving in the same season.

The Panthers are used to his absences at this point. Rookie running back Chuba Hubbard will again step into the starting role. He has 427 rushing yards and three touchdowns this season.

After starting the season 3-0, Carolina has fallen to 5-7. Losing McCaffrey for the rest of the campaign is a big blow to the team's hopes of turning things around and making a playoff push.