/Panthers release Jonathan Stewart

Panthers release Jonathan Stewart

The Carolina Panthers have released running back Jonathan Stewart, the team announced on Wednesday.

Stewart played all 10 of his professional seasons with the Panthers after being drafted by Carolina in the first round of the 2008 draft out of Oregon. Stewart became the franchise’s all-time rushing leader in 2017, finishing the season with 7,318 career rushing yards. Stewart’s 1,699 career rushing attempts are also the most in franchise history, while his 58 career touchdowns (51 rushing, seven receiving) rank second in franchise history.

“Jonathan played the game the way you want. He brought an element of toughness as a runner that set the tempo for our team,” head coach Ron Rivera said. “He is a great pro, and I appreciate who he is as a young man and thank him for the contribution he made.”

Stewart was selected to the Pro Bowl in 2015 after he led the team with 989 rushing yards and six touchdowns with a career-best 242 carries.

Stewart helped Carolina to five playoff appearances, and holds franchise records for most career rushing yards (474), rushing attempts (101) and rushing touchdowns (5) in the playoffs. His three rushing touchdowns in the 2015 postseason are the franchise high.

Over Stewart’s 10-year tenure, the Panthers led the NFL in total rushing yards (21,537) and ranked second in the league in rushing touchdowns (176).