A Delta flight carrying Carolina Panthers players detoured from the runway at Charlotte Douglas International Airport early Friday morning, according to a report by WCNC Charlotte.
The plane landed at around 2:35 a.m. ET before it veered off the runway and into the mud. Witnesses at the scene reported WCNC that there were an unknown number of Panthers players on the plane. None of the 188 passengers on board were injured and they deplane shortly after the incident.
“The right main landing gear of Delta 8860 departed the taxiway at Charlotte Douglas International Airport following a normal landing,” Delta said in a statement. “No injuries were reported among the 188 passengers who deplaned from the aircraft and were bused to the terminal. We apologize to our customers for the inconvenience.”
The flight landed in Charlotte shortly after midnight after taking off from Providence, Rhode Island. The Panthers made their season debut against the New England Patriots in Foxboro on Thursday night. Carolina lost 17-3 to New England in a game in which new head coach Dave Canales rested all of his starters.
Former Louisville quarterback Jack Plummer started as a center for Carolina and completed 11 of 21 passes for 86 yards. He made way for Jake Lutonsigned three days earlier. Luton completed 7 of 9 passes for 38 yards and led the Panthers down the field in the final two minutes of the fourth quarter, a drive that ended with a field goal.
Several Panthers defenders contribute to preseason defeat
On the defensive side of the ball, cornerback Lamar Jackson arguably shone the most. The fifth-year pro recorded two tackles and defended two passes and was praised by Canales after the game.
“Lamar made the most of the opportunities he got and he made some great plays for us,” Canales said. “He also had some nice tackles and hits. So he really showed something and told us something about himself.”
Second-year linebacker Eku Leota He also made his presence felt, recording two tackles, both for a loss, and added a quarterback hurry and a couple of stops on special teams.
“Eku, it just starts with power,” Canales said. “He played so hard tonight and was very physical. I have to watch the film to get the full story, but he tried very hard and his style of play was fantastic.”
The Panthers will host the New York Jets next Saturday for their second preseason game.
