When rookie Deon Grant signed with the Carolina Panthers, life changed a

little. Games would be played on Sundays instead of Saturdays, the

Panthers’ goal would be the Super Bowl instead of the Rose Bowl and then

there’s the whole money deal.

However, Grant didn’t plan on his career beginning with an ambulance

ride.

On Wednesday, free safety’s short-lived season came to an end when he

fractured his left hip during the Panthers’ practice with the Detroit Lions

at Wofford College (Spartanburg, S.C.). The injury was during

seven-on-seven morning drills.

“It certainly doesn’t sound like he’ll play again this year,” Carolina head

coach George Seifert told the Associated Press.

Apparently, Grant was covering Lions’ running back Sedrick Irvin when the

two bumped. Grant lost his balance and stuck out his leg to keep from

falling. However, the pressure on his left leg caused the hip to pop out

and fracture the socket.

“I think his leg got tangled up with my leg and he planted on the wrong

foot,” Irvin told the Spartanburg Herald-Journal on Wednesday. “He

started yelling and I stopped and dropped beside him. Then I just started

praying. I hope he will be alright.”

Grant was escorted off of the field in an ambulance and then airlifted to

the Carolina Medical Center in Charlotte, N.C., where he was to have

surgery this week.

“The damage was done before he hit the ground,” Seifert told reporters.

“His hip is now back in the socket, but the socket was fractured.”

Other members of the Panther secondary were quick to point out the

devastation of losing Grant.

“That’s a big blow to us,” safety Mike Minter told the

Herald-Journal. “We were looking for that guy to come in and play and

produce.”

The 6-3, 207-pound Grant was in a heated battle for the starting free

safety position with the Panthers. The top contender was Carolina’s No. 1

draft pick in Rashard Anderson, although he played cornerback in

college.

Grant was also expected to return punts for the Panthers. The injury will

leave some holes for the Panthers to fill until next season.

“There was a dislocation and a break so there will have to be an

operation,” Seifert told reporters. “It will be a number of months before

he will be doing any physical activity.”

The Panthers second round draft pick from Tennessee led the nation with

nine interceptions last year for the Tennessee Volunteers. However, he

chose to skip his senior season with the Vols in order to try the NFL.

Grant was not the only injured Panther on Wednesday. Right guard James

Dexter partially tore his right tricep, fullback Chris Hetherington

fractured his right pinkie finger and defensive end Jason Peter strained

his hamstring.