Tipsheet

A Brutal Injury Cut Short an NFL Preseason Game

I didn’t watch this preseason game, but I saw the injury that led to it being suspended in the fourth quarter. The Detroit Lions ventured to Mercedes-Benz Stadium to take on the Atlanta Falcons in this preseason matchup. It’s one of the last chances to make the roster in this brutal league for some players, so a lot of guys give it their all and then some. 

For Lions cornerback Morice Norris, it led to a hospital trip after a scary hit to the head left him knocked out, and seizing on the field. Blessedly, he’s awake, talking, and can feel his extremities (via ESPN):

The preseason game between the Detroit Lions and Atlanta Falcons at Mercedes-Benz Stadium was suspended in the fourth quarter Friday night after Lions safety Morice Norris was taken off the field in an ambulance. 

Norris was injured while attempting to tackle Atlanta rookie Nathan Carter with 14:50 to go. Norris hit Carter with his face mask facing the running back's midsection, and the defender's head snapped back after making the hit. 

Norris was transported to Atlanta's Grady Memorial Hospital and is in stable condition, the Lions said in a statement, with "feeling and movement in all his extremities." 

[…] 

Norris was attended to for about 20 minutes on the field as players from both teams joined hands in unison. An ambulance drove onto the field, and Norris was loaded into it on a stretcher. 

When play resumed, Falcons quarterback Emory Jones took a snap and held the ball as players from both teams stood at the line of scrimmage and the clock continued to run.

Finally, with 6:31 left, an official announced the game had been suspended "per New York." The Lions led 17-10 when play was stopped.  

Both sides agreed that after the injury, no one wanted to be on the field anymore. It was the right call.  

“Morice Norris is in stable condition and has feeling and movement in all his extremities. He will remain at Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta overnight for observation,” said the Lions' official Twitter account. 

“We would like to thank the Atlanta Falcons organization, the EMS team at Mercedes-Benz Stadium and the doctors and staff at Grady for their support.”