Christian McCaffrey will miss the rest of the season with a left ankle injury.

The Carolina Panthers noted that the severity of the injury revealed by an MRI warranted McCaffrey going to IR.

McCaffrey missed 13 games last season with injuries and five games earlier this season with a hamstring injury.

Cam Newton was benched by the Carolina Panthers on Sunday, but Matt Rhule says he will remain the team's starting quarterback going forward.

Rhule pulled Newton in favor of P.J. Walker with the Panthers trailing the Miami Dolphins by 20 points early in the fourth quarter.

Newton completed just 5 of 21 passes for 92 yards and threw two interceptions in Week 12.

"I'm not making any changes," Rhule said. "We were not protecting the quarterback worthwhile, at all. It didn't seem fair to keep Cam in there to keep getting hit. It gave P.J. a chance to play and at the same time Cam just hasn't had a lot of experience in that part of the game."

Cam Newton made an impact immediately upon his return to the Carolina Panthers.

Newton, 32, produced touchdowns on his first two plays Sunday to propel the Panthers to a 34-10 victory over the Arizona Cardinals.

Carolina had lost five of their past six games. Newton served as the backup to P.J. Walker with Sam Darnold injured.

He scored on a 2-yard run around the right side less than four minutes into the game. He followed with a 2-yard touchdown pass to Robby Anderson on his second play.

Newton returned to Carolina on Thursday with a one-year deal that could pay him up to $10 million for the rest of the season. He is expected to get his first start in his second tenure with the Panthers next week at Bank of America Stadium against the Washington Football Team.

Cam Newton has agreed to sign with the Carolina Panthers. 

Newton will receive up to $10 million for the remainder of the season, which includes $4.5 million fully guaranteed and a $1.5 million roster bonus.

The Panthers parted ways with Newton after the 2019 season.

Cam Newton will meet with the Carolina Panthers on a possible return.

The Panthers released Newton following the 2019 season after he had struggled with injuries.

The 2015 NFL MVP signed with New England and started 15 games for the Patriots before being released in training camp after the team decided to go with rookie Mac Jones as the starter.

Sam Darnold has an incomplete fracture of his right shoulder blade and is likely to miss several weeks with the injury, a source has confirmed.

The Carolina Panthers believe the injury happened in the second quarter of the team's 24-6 loss to the New England Patriots on Sunday.

P.J. Walker will replace Darnold as the team's starting quarterback, starting with Sunday's game against the Arizona Cardinals.

Carolina Panthers defender Haason Reddick called the first-quarter no-call in which New England Patriots quarterback Mac Jones held Brian Burns' right ankle as the outside linebacker twisted to get away after a strip sack "egregious'' and "completely dirty."

Burns returned after spending time in the sideline medical tent, but in the fourth quarter, he had to again be helped off the field with an injury to the same ankle.

"Definitely thought it was a dirty play,'' Reddick said. "I actually saw and witnessed the play while it was happening. At first it felt like he was trying trip or kick Burns. And the next thing you know I saw him tugging on Burns' ankle. I thought it was completely dirty. Hopefully, it's something the league addresses.''

Referee Clete Blakeman said it was a "subjective call'' and something the league would have to deal with in its evaluation of the game crew as to whether the officials should have called something.

Matt Rhule said "a foul should have been called,'' whether it was a personal foul or holding.

"I don't want to call out any of their players or anything like that,'' said Rhule, who said earlier in the week he loved Jones, a player his staff coached in the Senior Bowl. "I'm always gonna protect our guys, and it looked like it was an injury that happened after the play.''

Stephon Gilmore will face the New England Patriots as a member of the Carolina Panthers on Sunday.

The cornerback was traded while on the physically unable to perform list due to the torn quad that ended his 2020 season.

"I just didn't like how they handled my situation, my injury. A lot went on with that I didn't agree with," Gilmore said of the injury and the Patriots. "Now that I'm here, I'm able to do the things I have to do to get me back ready to where I need to be. I learned a lot there. I have a lot of friends there. A lot of great coaches. I just didn't like how they handled my situation with my injury."

Gilmore declined to specify what he thinks the Patriots could have done differently and admitted that his desire for a new contract was also an issue that helped lead to his departure from New England.

The Carolina Panthers have designated Christian McCaffrey for return from injured reserve after missing five games with a hamstring injury.

McCaffrey is now eligible to return in Sunday's game against the New England Patriots.

"Hopefully this week, if not next week," Rhule said about when McCaffrey would play again.