The father of Panthers tight end Hayden Hurst posted on social media that an independent neurologist determined his son is suffering the effects of post-traumatic amnesia after sustaining a vicious hit against the Bears last month.
“Slow recovery, don’t know when he’ll be back,” Jerry Hurst wrote. “Prayers appreciated!”
The post was captioned by neuroscientist Chris Nowinski, who expressed concern over the report.
You don't hear this often & it is concerning. Post-traumatic amnesia means Hurst was or is having trouble forming new memories & possibly remembering old ones. I hope he takes his time and recovers fully. https://t.co/KN1p9zQdZC
— Chris Nowinski, Ph.D. (@ChrisNowinski1) December 6, 2023
Despite this report, Hurst participated in Wednesday’s practice but wore a red shirt to signify that he was a non-contact participant.
Hayden Hurst, #81 of the Carolina Panthers, walks onto the field before the game against the Indianapolis Colts at Bank of America Stadium on November 05, 2023, in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Eakin Howard/Getty Images)
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) defines post-traumatic amnesia as the time from the moment of injury to the time of resumption of standard continuous memory.
Hayden Hurst, #81 of the Carolina Panthers, walks onto the field before an NFL preseason football game against the Detroit Lions at Bank of America Stadium on August 25, 2023, in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images)
Hurst, the 25th overall pick of the Baltimore Ravens in the 2018 Draft, is in his 6th year in the league and his second in Carolina. This year, Hurst has 18 catches for 184 yards.
