CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Carolina Panthers quarterback Teddy Bridgewater suffered an apparent right knee injury in the fourth quarter of Sunday's 46-23 loss to Tampa Bay and did not return.
His status for next week's game against Detroit is uncertain.
"He got up and walked off,'' coach Matt Rhule said of Bridgewater, who was given a three-year, $63 million deal in the offseason to replace Cam Newton. "When it comes to knees and stuff like that, I don't know. I haven't had a chance to see him. I have no idea [how he is] .''
The injury occurred with 5:24 remaining when Tampa Bay edge rusher Jason Pierre-Paul sacked Bridgewater with a twisting tackle around the knees. Bridgewater was slow to get up and then limped to the sideline, where trainers check out his right knee.
After an extended period under the blue tent, Bridgewater walked under his own power to the locker room as the final minutes expired in a game in which the Bucs outscored the Panthers 29-6 in the second half and outgained them 322 yards to 35.
The injury was not to the same knee that almost ended Bridgewater's career in 2016 during training camp with the Minnesota Vikings.
Bridgewater, 28, opened the game with 12 straight completions and two touchdown passes as Carolina played to a 17-17 halftime tie. He added a touchdown run on a scramble in the fourth quarter after the Panthers (3-7) were outscored 12-0 in the third quarter en route to their fifth straight loss.
Bridgewater finished 18-for-24 passing for 136 yards and two touchdowns, and rushed three times for 16 yards and a touchdown.
He has been among the league leaders in completion percentage all season as he returned as a full-time starter for the first time since 2015. He suffered a horrific injury that required multiligament reconstruction in 2016. Bridgewater, who has thrown for 2,552 yards with 13 touchdowns and 7 interceptions this season, was not made available to media after the game for the first time this season.
The Panthers already were without star running back Christian McCaffrey, who suffered a shoulder injury late in last week's loss to Kansas City in his first game back after missing six straight with a high ankle sprain.
Rhule said on Friday the outlook for McCaffrey playing against Detroit looked good. If Bridgewater can't go, the Panthers would go with either P.J. Walker or Will Grier.
Walker finished Sunday's game, but both have had stints as Bridgewater's backup this season.