Kraft Marks Knee-Injury Anniversary With Touchdown Against Same Panthers Side

Tucker Kraft chose the perfect stage for a personal milestone on Thursday night. The Green Bay tight end scored against the Carolina Panthers at Lambeau Field — the same opponent against whom he suffered a torn ACL almost exactly a year ago — capping his comeback with a touchdown that meant far more than six points. The score came in the first quarter, when quarterback Jordan Love threaded a pass to Kraft on third down despite pressure from two Panthers defenders. Kraft finished the play, celebrated with a Lambeau Leap, and put Green Bay 6-3 up after the extra point was missed. It was his third touchdown of the season, tying him with Matthew Golden for second on the team, and it continued a strong campaign in which he had already caught 29 passes for 297 yards and two touchdowns in seven games before Thursday. The context makes the moment. A torn ACL against Carolina was a major blow last season, and returning to score against the same team, in the same stadium, closes a circle for the tight end. Green Bay entered the Thursday night game at 4-3, looking to bounce back from a narrow 20-17 loss to Detroit, and Kraft's early score set the tone for a night built on resilience.