A chilling incident occurred during the NFL preseason on Friday. The game between the Lions and Falcons was halted in the fourth quarter after a concerning injury to Detroit defensive back Morris Norris. He was taken off the field in an ambulance after colliding with Atlanta’s Nathan Carter.
The Lions confirmed that Norris was transported to a nearby hospital for assessment, with coach Dan Campbell noting that Norris was breathing and had movement in the hospital.
This injury happened early in the fourth quarter when Norris collided with a running back, leading to a backward head motion as he tackled Carter.
Norris remained on the field at Mercedes-Benz Stadium before he was stabilized on a backboard and then transported by ambulance.
As the game was set to resume, the Falcons snapped the ball, while 22 players gathered at midfield, holding hands to form a circle.
The game was paused with just over six minutes left on the clock, as the Lions held a 17-10 lead.
“Of course, our thoughts and prayers are with him,” Campbell remarked in a post-game interview. “We’ve received some encouraging updates. He’s in the hospital, and while I can’t say much more, moments like this really put things into perspective.”
“He’s breathing, he’s talking—that’s good. They’re running more tests now,” he added.
Norris, 24, had joined the team as an undrafted free agent from Fresno State the previous year and had played in two regular-season games.
Lions quarterback Kyle Allen expressed the general sentiment among players, stating, “I don’t think anyone wanted to keep playing. It wasn’t our choice, but seeing everyone’s reaction makes you realize it’s just not worth it.”
