On Friday night, Lions safety Maurice Norris was taken to an Atlanta hospital after suffering injuries to his knee and head. Following a stoppage in play at 14:50, Lions head coach Dan Campbell provided an update.
“Clearly, Mo Norris is on our mind and in our prayers,” Campbell stated. “When he got at the hospital, we received some positive news concerning his condition. That’s all I’ll say for now. Events like these assist to put things into perspective.”We’re simply praying for Mo.
Campbell then shared more about the positive news:
“He’s breathing. He is speaking. That’s encouraging. He moves a little too,” Campbell added. “Right now, they’re running more tests on him.”
“Norris attempted to tackle Falcons running back Nathan Carter on the opening play of the fourth quarter, but Carter’s knee accidentally struck his head, knocking Norris to the ground immediately.
After caring for Norris for roughly twenty minutes, the medical staff got him into an ambulance and drove off from midfield.
After treating Norris for roughly twenty minutes, the medical staff loaded him into an ambulance and drove him out of midfield.
“It’s eye-opening,” Campbell said. “It hits you hard—hits you differently. It puts things into perspective. Although we enjoy this brutal game, one of the lovely things that occurs when something like this occurs is the brotherhood.Seeing players from both teams come together, thinking about another player—it means a lot.”
When play started up again, Falcons quarterback Emory Jones took a snap and kept the ball.
Players soon formed a circle, clasped hands, and lowered their heads. As both head coaches had already agreed, officials restarted the game with 6:31 left.
“Even though it was the right thing to do,” Falcons coach Raheem Morris admitted.
Campbell also shared that Norris’s mother was at the hospital with him, and that some staff members would remain there until he’s ready to go home.