Jonathon Brooks' girlfriend Baylea Brandon pens heartfelt note for Panthers RB's birthday - "Love you til the end of time"
Jonathon Brooks reached a major milestone on Sunday. He turned 21 years old, the usual coming-of-age moment for most men.
And in celebration, the Carolina Panthers running back's girlfriend, Baylea Brandon, went to Instagram to write him a long, congratulatory message:
"You have a heart that loves people and sees the good in everyone. You have a spirit that is so beautiful and a mind that remains humble, no matter what life throws at you. You have always made me feel so safe, so loved, and so understood.
"You bring out a side of me that I never even knew existed. You are so special to me, and I will love you til the end of time."
Looking back at the softball career of Jonathon Brooks' girlfriend, Baylea Brandon
It's not known when Baylea Brandon and Jonathon Brooks started dating, but what is known is that she was a softball player.
After a stellar career at Leander High School in Texas, she began her college career at LSU in 2022.
In her 15 games as a freshman, including seven starts, the outfielder/designated hitter had a .280 hitting percentage, with two home runs and 15 RBIs. The Tigers reached the NCAA Tournament that season.
That summer, Brandon transferred to Texas for the 2023 season, returning to her home state and joining Brooks, who would soon hit 1,000 rushing yards and double-digit touchdowns despite starting just three games and eventually tearing his ACL.
In 23 games (including seven starts), she hit .300 in 30 at-bats, with three home runs and nine RBIs. The Longhorns reached the conference title game but lost to powerhouse Oklahoma.
As return from injury looms, Jonathon Brooks patiently awaiting opportunity to shine
There is one thing that Jonathon Brooks will not be doing after his birthday: practicing. On Friday, he was placed on the active/non-football injury list, ruling him out of the Panthers' camp that starts Wednesday.
But he had known for a while that this would happen, given his past ACL injury. So he is now being patient about when he will get a chance to display his skills again. He recently told writer Darin Gantt:
"I just have to know that patience is going to help me further my career, especially with this injury because if I try to rush it back, I get hurt again, then it could potentially affect the rest of my career. So, I just have to look at it as a bigger picture."
It's not known where Brooks will fit in a crowded running back room that also includes Chuba Hubbard, Miles Sanders, Raheem Blackshear and Rashaad Penny.