CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The Panthers’ future was put on hold when head coach Matt Rhule revealed Saturday that rookie quarterback Matt Corral suffered a significant foot injury.
Corral suffered a tear of the Lisfranc ligament in his left foot Friday in the team’s second preseason game at New England. The team initially believed Corral was stepped on, but Rhule said he was unsure exactly when the injury occurred.
The team placed Corral on injured reserve Tuesday, ending his season. He’s expected to have surgery on the injured foot, Rhule told reporters Tuesday.
Lisfranc injuries can be significant. Former Panthers quarterback Cam Newton suffered a Lisfranc fracture in 2019 that cost him his season. It wasn’t immediately known if anything in Corral’s foot was broken.
The injury occurs at the Lisfranc joint — in the middle of the foot — in the area where the long foot bones attach via ligaments.
According to multiple sources with knowledge of the situation, a surgical procedure is likely needed to stabilize the arch in Corral’s mid-foot using plates and screws.
According to a medical source with knowledge of such injuries, the average NFL recovery time for a Lisfranc is about 11 months. Data suggests that pocket quarterbacks tend to recover fully, that source said, compared with skill position players, who usually see a temporary decline in production.
Lisfranc injuries can be treated without surgery, according to Dr. Kenneth Jung, an orthopedic foot and ankle surgeon at Cedars-Sinai Kerlan-Jobe Institute in Los Angeles — if X-rays show no structural damage to the middle foot bones.
Doctors grade Lisfranc injuries on a spectrum depending on how much ligament and bone damage that imaging reveals.
“If the ligament can heal properly and he can maintain stability and alignment of the joints, then you can treat it non-operatively,” Jung said. “If X-ray shows bones are out of a place and not aligned properly, then you’re going to recommend surgery in order to restore anatomy.”
If there are any breaks in Corral’s left foot, then surgery is his best option, Jung said. Without surgery, he’d run a high risk of early arthritis in his foot joints, which would affect his long-term athletic ability.
Surgery would sideline Corral for a minimum of six months before he could resume football activities and workouts, according to Jung. The procedure requires an incision over the Lisfranc joint and uses a combination of plates and screws to hold the bones in place.
“The goal is to restore all the alignment together with the hardware and allow his body to heal with the bones in proper alignment,” Jung said. “The procedure usually takes about one or two hours to complete.”
It’s an important to let the incision heal after the surgery, when Jung said there is likely to be swelling. Corral would endure a period of no weight bearing, which could last up to six weeks. He would begin early rehab during this time, which includes range-of-motion work.
After four to six months, Jung said Corral would likely need another procedure to have the metal plates and screws in his foot removed. Side effects can include persistent pain (which could affect his ability to push off his foot), but once fully healed the chances for re-injury are low, according to Jung.
Corral diligently following a rehab regimen will be critical to avoid overcompensating for his lower body upon returning to football activities, Jung said.
Carolina drafted Corral at No. 94 overall this year after trading their fourth-round pick (No. 137) and their 2023 third-round pick to the New England Patriots. The Panthers considered Corral among the top three quarterbacks in this draft class.
His season is over, but there was no pressure for him to play this year after the team named Baker Mayfield its starting quarterback. When the team traded for Mayfield in July, general manager called Corral to reassure him he was still an important part of the team’s future plans.
Those plans are now facing a minimum six-month roadblock, but Corral should return healthy and ready for workouts this spring.
“He is the future, potentially,” Jung said. “There’s no rush to bring him back. He’ll probably miss the season but by next offseason, he should be working out and doing football activities.”
