Sep 18, 2016; Charlotte, NC, USA; Carolina Panthers running back Fozzy Whittaker (43) runs as San Francisco 49ers defensive end DeForest Buckner (99) defends in the second quarter at Bank of America Stadium. Photo Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Fozzy Whittaker has played several minor roles for the Carolina Panthers the past few seasons.
Then he made major contributions in Sunday afternoon’s home opener.
The running back rushed for 100 yards when pressed into extra duty because of Jonathan Stewart’s hamstring injury, helping the Panthers in their 46-27 victory against the San Francisco 49ers at Bank of America Stadium.
“I never want to see my own brother go down like he did, but the next-man mentality,” Whittaker said.
Whittaker, who has been in the NFL since 2013, entered the game with 345 career rushing yards. His previous single-game high was 41 yards in the final regular-season game of the 2014 season.
“The offensive line was huge being able to open up holes,” Whittaker said of the cracks found in a San Francisco defense coming off a shutout in its opener. “(I was) just hitting them. (The linemen) have a hard job, but it makes my job easy.”
Whittaker reached the 100-yard mark on his 16th and final carry. He picked up 6 yards on that attempt, though he said he was disappointed because it left the Panthers a yard short of a first down.
“The first down was on my mind,” said Whittaker, a 5-foot-10, 205-pounder who played in college for Texas.
That led to Graham Gano’s field goal with 1:08 to play for the game’s final points.
Stewart exited in the first quarter, and shortly after that Whittaker fumbled and was placed in the concussion protocol because of the hit he absorbed. He passed that evaluation and was back on the field before the quarter ended.
It was a good thing for the Panthers, who had running back Cameron Artis-Payne on the game’s inactive list.
“I thought Fozzy did a nice job,” Panthers coach Ron Rivera said. “I thought he and (fullback) Mike Tolbert mixed it up well. It’s one of those things that when you have backs with that kind of ability, it’s good.”
Whittaker, who also caught three passes for 31 yards, had the majority of Carolina’s 176 rushing yards while outgaining the entire 49ers’ ground attack. San Francisco rushed for 65 yards.
Whittaker, who has played in 41 career games, is in his third season with the Panthers.
