EmailPrintCHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Carolina Panthers right tackle Taylor Moton said Tuesday that he coughed up blood before being diagnosed with multiple blood clots in late June. The ailment sidelined him throughout training camp and the preseason this summer and well into the second month of the regular season.Moton, the longest tenured non-specialist in Carolina, participated in his first padded practice of 2026 on Tuesday after the Panthers activated his 21-day practice window on the non-football injury (NFI) list. Moton's early season stand-in, first-round pick Monroe Freeling, worked with a trainer off to the side with a knee injury.Following practice, during his first conversation with the media since OTAs, Moton detailed his illness and the steps he took to get back onto the field. Moton said upon returning from a youth football camp in Lansing, Mich., he experienced symptoms that would eventually lead to the discovery of multiple blood clots in his right lung."I started coughing up blood -- and it was like a lot of it," Moton said. "And I could start feeling it leaking through my chest even -- something like really different. So, after 15-or-something minutes, I was like 'Yeah, I've got to go to the hospital.' Went to the hospital, they were doing CT scans, ultrasounds, trying to find what was going on. And that's when they found a multitude of clots in my right lung. ... So from there, they put me on blood thinners, and other than that I was just working. I just couldn't have contact on the blood thinners cause having contact on blood thinners can lead to like a brain bleed or whathaveyou. ... But ultimately doing everything I could to just work and simulate football without the contact up until then."Moton said he felt like his chest was congested, but he soon realized the discomfort was more than just typical congestion when he started tasting blood in his mouth. Moton said doctors aren't sure what caused the ailment, but the 32-year-old lineman is more concerned about future prevention to make sure it doesn't happen again. He was told staying hydrated is part of that prevention, as well as moving around when he travels.Moton has only traveled with the team once this year, as he went down to Jacksonville, Fla. for the Panthers' training camp joint practice and preseason game against the Jaguars. He has been consulting with a bloodwork specialist to be prepared for the weeks ahead, including Sunday's Week 6 battle against the Eagles in Philadelphia.Moton said he's grateful to get back to work on the practice field with his teammates. He had to weigh the risk-reward factor of such a move earlier this summer."Ultimately, I had to just weigh the pros and cons of getting off the blood thinners, and then being able to play ball and the chance of it happening [again]," Moton said. "The chances [of a recurrence] are relatively low right now, after being on the blood thinners for three months."Moton's former Panthers teammate, defensive end D.J. Wonnum -- who now plays for the Detroit Lions -- dealt with a blood clot during his first year with Carolina in 2024. Moton said he spoke with Wonnum about their similar situations.The veteran tackle said he has been off the thinners for a "couple of weeks now." He noted that he had to wait for his blood to regulate before returning to workouts through the bye week.Moton, who dealt with notably high blood pressure and lightheadedness before receiving blood thinner treatment, said the entire ordeal has given him a better appreciation for football and life."Honestly, it gave me more gratitude for life in general," Moton said.The Panthers didn't release an official injury report on Tuesday, but Moton donned full pads for the workout. With Freeling dealing with a knee injury, Moton's long-awaited return would be welcomed, if not necessary, to add stability to the line and the offense.He's getting ready as if his regular-season debut will take place this weekend at Lincoln Financial Field."I'm going into it preparing to play," Moton said. "But ultimately, whether I do or not, that's not my decision. That's the higher-ups, right? So, I'm just doing everything I can to prepare as if I'm going in playing."Along with Moton, defensive end Turk Wharton (neck) and running back Trevor Etienne (ankle) had their 21-day practice windows opened on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list and injured reserve, respectively. Like Moton, Wharton has been sidelined since the start of training camp, while Etienne sustained his injury in the preseason finale in August.All three players will have three weeks to be added to the 53-man roster. The Panthers have three open spots on their main depth chart after placing nose tackle Cam Jackson (shoulder) on injured reserve Tuesday.Jackson is set to undergo season-ending shoulder surgery, according to coach Dave Canales.
