CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A scary moment materialized in Bank of America Stadium on Sunday when Ja’Tavion Sanders was taken to a Charlotte hospital after taking a scary tumble at the end of the first half.

The Carolina Panthers rookie tight end caught a pass on the right side, made a move and leaped to the sideline, before being hit in the air and landing on the crown of his helmet. He moved initially after the fall but then lay on the turf as Panthers medical staff rushed out to treat him.

The injury was later called a neck injury at the start of the second half. He was ruled out for the game.

Sanders left Sunday’s game against the reigning Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs with three catches on three targets for 49 yards. His final catch went for 10 yards.

The cart eventually came for him. He was loaded onto it with a stretcher board. He appeared to lift his arms and offer two thumbs up as he left the field.

Sanders has been a bright spot for this up-and-down Panthers offense this season. He entered Sunday with more receiving yards this season than any Panthers tight end since 2019 — back when Greg Olsen was stacking numbers in a Process Blue jersey.

Ian Thomas holds the rookie record for receiving yards for a tight end at 333 yards, a record that Sanders looked set to break.

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