Serious injury to Morice Norris forces suspension of Lions-Falcons NFL preseason game

The NFL preseason gamebetween the Detroit Lions and Atlanta Falcons had to be suspended with six minutes to play after player Morice Norris had to receive medical attention and be taken off the field in an ambulance following a serious injury sustained while attempting to tackle running back Nathan Carter. In the middle of a play, the latter impacted Norris' helmet face shield with his knee, causing his head to snap back and he was knocked out on the turf.

"We’re just praying for Mo and ask that everybody prays for him," Lions coach Dan Campbell told reporters, adding that despite the jarring hit between Norris and Carter, he had received "positive information" from the hospital where his player was taken. "He's breathing. He's talking. It's good. He has some movement," Campbell explained.

A dramatic moment

The situation at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta was extremely dramatic following the collision between the safety and the running back, to the point where medical personnel from both teams immediately rushed to Norris' aid. Even after his exit by ambulance, both Campbell and Falcons coach Raheem Morris made the decision not to continue the game. While the players came out onto the field and took a kickoff, all 22 players gathered at midfield to hold hands and pray as the clock ticked down. With 6:19 on the clock, head referee Shawn Hochuli announced that the league office in New York had confirmed that the game would be suspended.

After the game ended, coach Morris told reporters, "I don't have much to say, just sending thoughts and prayers for Morice Norris, his family and everyone involved, including my team, the Lions and Dan's team." When asked about how he addressed his players in the locker room after what happened, Morris said it was a complicated moment and noted that just by "looking in their eyes" he could tell the shock and emotion of the moment. "It's hard to even talk to those guys because they're so excited about the game and what we do, and they have so much respect for the other players in the sport, and that was the ultimate demonstration of that from both teams right there. And you just have to pray for Morice Norris and his family."