What happened to Hayden Hurst? Panthers TE suffers serious health issue after hit vs. Bears

Carolina Panthers tight end Hayden Hurst took a brutal hit in the Panthers' Week 10 defeat to the Chicago Bears. Following the hit, Hurst was immediately placed in concussion protocol and hasn't played in the NFL since.

However, according to his father, Jerry Hurst, the South Carolina alum has been diagnosed with post-traumatic amnesia by an independent neurologist as a result of the hit he took in Chicago. In a follow-up tweet, Hurst's father asked for prayers as it looks set to be a slow recovery process.

When will Hayden Hurst return?

According to the National Institutes of Health, the duration of post-traumatic amnesia is defined as the time from the moment of injury to the time of resumption of standard continuous memory. That means that the timeline of Hayden Hurst returning to the Gridiron is anyone's guess, and right now, the goal is to ensure that he recovers in the best way possible.

Before the independent diagnosis, Hayden Hurst seemed to be on track to return to the Gridiron. Since the Chicago game, the 2018 first-round pick has been in concussion protocol. However, he was seen practicing in a red jersey on Wednesday. Due to the recent diagnosis, Hurst will miss his fourth straight game.

How has Hayden Hurst performed this season?

Before suffering a significant health issue, Hurst had a decent season in Carolina. The Jacksonville, Florida native caught 18 passes for 184 yards and one touchdown. Hurst was just getting used to his rookie quarterback Bryce Young, as the Panthers slowly but surely got their offense performing at an acceptable standard. However, "when it rains, it pours," and the veteran pass catcher got hit with the worst health issue of his six-year NFL career.

Before joining the Panthers, Hurst featured for three NFL franchises: the Baltimore Ravens, Atlanta Falcons and the Cincinnati Bengals. He had arguably his best season in 2020 when he posted a stat line of 56 catches for 571 yards and six touchdowns. Without Hurst, the Carolina Panthers will have to rely on tight ends Tommy Tremble and Ian Thomas to take up the offensive workload.

However, if they aren't comfortable with the existing options, they could contact perennial Pro Bowler Zach Ertz, who recently asked for (and got) a release from the Arizona Cardinals. The Panthers are 1-11 for the season, and they can use any help they can muster as the season concludes.