Carolina Panthers running back Rico Dowdle has been on the field during the Panthers’ offensive series against the San Francisco 49ers on Monday Night Football.
The Panthers drove down near the 49ers’ end zone on their first drive, but quarterback Bryce Young threw an interception. Fans online were not pleased that Dowdle didn’t get the ball in that situation.
Is Panthers RB Rico Dowdle Injured?
In the first half, which saw the 49ers take a 10-3 lead at halftime, Dowdle only had four carries for 19 yards and, of course, no touchdowns. In addition, Dowdle also had one pass catch for three yards in the first half of play on Monday night.
One fan pointed out that Dowdle would have been a solid option on that Carolina opening drive.
Ummm … you have Rico Dowdle maybe give him the football?
— Michael Fabiano (@Michael_Fabiano) November 25, 2025
At this point, there’s no indication that Dowdle is injured at all. The Panthers are aiming to improve their season record and position themselves for a potential NFL postseason spot. According to the PFSN NFL RB Impact metrics, Dowdle has an impact score of 84.1 and grades out to B.
With those numbers, it’s pretty surprising that Dowdle has not been a more active participant when Carolina has the ball on offense on Monday night. The Panthers, though, have seen their defense spend more time on the field so far against the 49ers.
For the season, Dowdle, who played his college football at South Carolina, has 168 carries for 833 yards and five touchdowns. He’s proven himself over and over again for a Panthers’ offense that’s looking to get into a rhythm in the second half with Young leading them downfield. Dowdle is in his sixth season in the NFL.
Dowdle played the first five of his NFL seasons with the Dallas Cowboys, making a name for himself in the Cowboys’ backfield behind quarterback Dak Prescott. However, he wanted more playing time as a starter and moved to Carolina in the offseason.
With his impressive offensive numbers this season, it appears that Dowdle is showing doubters that he’s worth starting at running back. On the Panthers’ first play in the second half, Dowdle ran for 17 yards on a carry and moved up the field for a significant gain.
The Panthers’ defense has played tough, intercepting three passes from San Francisco’s starting quarterback, Brock Purdy, on the night. It’ll be interesting to see if Dowdle gets more involved in the Panthers’ offensive plans in the second half.
Editor’s Note: This is a breaking news story and will be updated throughout the day as more information becomes available.
