Live updates: Ja’Tavion Sanders is a healthy scratch for Carolina Panthers vs. Bears
The Carolina Panthers are hosting the Chicago Bears in Bank of America Stadium on Sunday — and The Charlotte Observer will be covering every element of the game.
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The news site has five journalists on-site and will update this live blog with injury information, highlight plays, analysis, photos and more as Bryce Young embarks on the fourth season-opening contest of his NFL career.
See everything below. Refresh this page for the latest news. This article will be updated with analysis after the game.
11:54 a.m.: The Bears also released their inactives list. The big name for Panthers fans? Xavier Woods, the former Carolina safety. The veteran was slated to start alongside rookie Dillon Thienemen, according to the team’s unofficial depth chart released earlier this week.
Rome Odunze, the star receiver battling a calf injury, was questionable coming into Sunday, but he’ll play.
The full inactives list:
11:34 a.m.: The Panthers named their inactives 1.5 hours before game time, and there were a few surprises. The names:
Sanders is a healthy scratch, a casualty from the Panthers’ five-deep tight end room on their 53-man roster. That means the tight ends will be Darren Waller (making his debut as a Panther), Tommy Tremble, Mitch Evans and Feleipe Franks (special teams ace).
Cam Jackson’s inactivity is also a shock considering all the positive reviews he’s received from camp. That means the team is rolling with undrafted rookie Aaron Hall, rookie Lee Hunter and Aaron Hall over the second-year on the defensive line.
The team also announced Saturday that they’re elevating two players off the practice squad for today’s game: S Isaiah Simmons and OLB Jeremiah Moon.
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11:30 a.m.: The sun is out, and the day is climbing into the 90s already. This might actually be the hottest Carolina Panthers game on record, according to local meteorologist Brad Panovich. The warmest arrived in 2019 — 93 degrees. Stay cool out there!
This weekend’s #Panthers home opener could make the top 4 for hottest in team history. That September sun will affect most of the stadium at kickoff, but as the game goes on, the north side gets baked all game long as shadows creep across the south side. #KeepPounding #cltwx… pic.twitter.com/nV94qlE3Rj
The only player on the Panthers’ side you should know of injury-wise is Pat Jones. The would-be starting outside linebacker is out this week and considered “week-to-week” going forward with a back injury. Brutal news for a Panthers defense — look for Princely Umanmielen and Trevis Gipson to make an immediate impact.
Panthers running back Jonathon Brooks is all good to go. He was a full participant in practice on Friday and will have “no limitations” on Sunday in terms of carries.
Via a Tepper Sports and Entertainment press release: In a joint effort with Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS), TSE is launching a Game Day Express this season, which will be an extension of existing Express bus services from Matthews, Davidson, Cornelius, Huntersville, Waverly and Arboretum CATS Park and Ride stations. Express Service is $3 each way or $6.60 for a day pass. All tickets can be purchased via the CATS-Pass App.
More information about the updated traffic patterns around Bank of America Stadium, parking and public transportation options, feel free to visit this URL: https://www.bankofamericastadium.com/stadium/parking.html.
See these maps below, too, for traffic flow patterns after the game.
Fans can watch the game on FOX. Adam Amin has the play-by-play responsibilities, with newly inducted Hall of Famer Drew Brees as the analyst. Kristina Pink will handle the sideline reporting.
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Here’s how to listen to it on the radio:
This story was originally published September 13, 2026 at 11:00 AM.
