After being sidelined for the past three games, Carolina Panthers linebacker Shaq Thompson can’t wait to get back on the field with his brothers . . . as long as that field isn’t in Arlington, Texas.
In his first time shooting the breeze with the media in a few weeks, Thompson told reporters it was rough not being able to suit up for nearly the past month. He also said the cause of that pain, both physical and emotional, was likely a product of two unlucky factors.
“It was a turf injury,” said Thompson, who strained the plantar fascia in his right foot in the Week 4 loss to the Dallas Cowboys.
“I think my insoles obviously played a factor. I wore the wrong ones. That’s on me. But I think Dallas needs some new turf. That’s my opinion,” he added with a smirk.
Carolina can’t wait to get one of its defensive leaders back, especially after dropping each of their last four contests. The defense itself has taken a dip, for reasons other than Thompson’s absence as well, having allowed an average of 25.7 points per game with just four sacks and three takeaways without him.
Turf tiffs aside, Thompson knows what’ll it take for this team and his unit to get back where it was when they were 3-0 to start the campaign. Hopefully for them, it’ll start with his return for the Week 8 matchup against the Atlanta Falcons.
“Just guys doing their jobs,” he said when asked how the group can tighten up. “We come in here each and every day and be honest with each other. When you go back and watch film, just a lot of guys were just missing assignments or just have a little brain fart out there. And the biggest thing, like I said, is everyone needs to do their job.”
