Carolina Panthers RB Christian McCaffrey will miss rest of season with ankle injury

For the second time this season, Carolina Panthers running back Christian McCaffrey has landed on injured reserve. Now, he will miss the remainder of the 2021 NFL season.

The Panthers announced the decision Monday afternoon. McCaffrey suffered an ankle injury in Sunday's 33-10 loss against the Miami Dolphins that dropped Carolina to 5-7. He appeared to tweak his left ankle during a rush in the second quarter and then was kept on the sidelines for most of the rest of the half. He tried to loosen up the ankle after intermission but could not return. McCaffrey finished with 35 yards on 10 carries and left the stadium in a walking boot, according to multiple reports.

© Jasen Vinlove, USA TODAY Sports Carolina Panthers running back Christian McCaffrey (22) runs the ball against the Miami Dolphins.

Earlier on Monday, Carolina coach Matt Rhule had said that X-rays came back negative and that the belief was that McCaffrey avoided serious injury. The team said in an article posted to its website that an MRI "revealed an injury severe enough" to place him on injured reserve. 

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McCaffrey had already missed five games this year because of a hamstring injury that also landed him on injured reserve. This marks a continued stretch of bad injury luck for McCaffrey, who played only three games last year.

Since McCaffrey signed his four-year, $64 million contact extension in April 2020 – which made him the highest-paid running back in the NFL – he has played in only 10 of Carolina's 33 games. 

McCaffrey, 25, will finish the year with 442 yards and one touchdown on 99 carries and also 37 catches for 343 yards with one receiving score.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Carolina Panthers RB Christian McCaffrey will miss rest of season with ankle injury