Panthers LB Shaq Thompson has season-ending injury

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Carolina Panthers linebacker Shaq Thompson has suffered a season-ending injury for the second straight year.

Thompson is believed to have torn his Achilles during the fourth quarter of Sunday’s 34-24 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals at Bank of America Stadium. He is undergoing an MRI on Monday to verify.

The 25th pick of the 2015 draft out of the University of Washington suffered a season-ending broken fibula last year during a Week 2 loss to the New Orleans Saints.

Thompson indicated on his Instagram Story that he has no plans to retire despite injuries ending his season early for the second straight year. Thompson wrote, “Yall think ima retire!! Ahah yeah right! I’ll [be] back!”

Thompson was able to walk off the field under his own power Sunday but later was carted off to the locker room with a towel over his head and his head bowed.

Thompson, 30, is in his 10th season. He and long-snapper JJ Jansen are the only remaining players from the 2015 team that had an NFL-best 15-1 regular-season record and made it to the Super Bowl.

He has endured a stretch with only one winning season since then, though. The Panthers appear headed for a seventh straight losing season with the team 1-3 heading into Sunday’s game against the Chicago Bears.

Thompson was having one of his best seasons, leading the team with 35 tackles. Rookie Trevin Wallace is the most likely candidate to replace him.

Thompson was one of four players voted team captain by the players for this season. The others were defensive lineman Derrick Brown, who suffered a season-ending knee injury in the opener, benched quarterback Bryce Young and safety Sam Franklin Jr., who began the season on injured reserve with a broken foot.

The NFL Network first reported the news.