Ross Cockrell's first season with his hometown team took a turn for the ugly on Monday when he suffered a gruesome leg injury during Carolina Panthers training camp in Spartansburg, S.C.
According to witnesses at Wofford College, they could hear Cockrell's bone break before his screams after a collision with wide receiver Torrey Smith during red zone drills. Cockrell was taken off the field on a cart.
Afterward, coach Ron Rivera gave no immediate word on the severity of the injury.
“It's the unfortunate nature of this game, and hopefully he'll be all right in due time,” Rivera told reporters.
The team later confirmed that Cockrell suffered a fractured left tibia and fibula that will require surgery. The Panthers will wait until after the surgery before establishing a timetable for his return.
Ross Cockrell carted off. Practice is over. pic.twitter.com/srm1qppcxp
— Bill Voth (@PanthersBill) July 30, 2018
The Duke grad and Charlotte, N.C. native signed a two-year, $6.8 million contract with the Panthers in March. The 26-year-old played last year for the New York Giants, making nine starts while recording a career-high three interceptions.
Originally drafted by Buffalo in the fourth round in 2014, he was released in the first wave of cuts in 2015 and was claimed by the Steelers, who resurrected his career. Cockrell went on to play 21 games in Pittsburgh, recording two interceptions and two fumble recoveries
His most memorable moment in a Steelers uniform came with 1:36 left in the 2016 AFC wild card game at Cincinnati. Cockrell recovered a critical fumble by Jeremy Hill that was forced by Ryan Shazier, allowing the Steelers to score a wild victory.
Panthers defensive coordinator Eric Washington said that he’d been highlighting the highly cerebral Cockrell in meetings every day.
“He represented the energy, he represented the system,” Washington said. “Our system being the way we want to do things — our culture. The highest standard of our culture on defense.
“We're going to close ranks and represent exactly who he is with our play. We're going to close ranks as a defense, and we're going to perform because we love him.”