The Detroit Lions’ NFL preseason showdown with the Atlanta Falcons suddenly became emotional Friday night as safety Morice Norris was driven out of the field by an ambulance after a serious injury.
The incident happened at the remaining 14:50 in the fourth quarter at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, where Norris tried to beat the Falcons’ rookie runner Nathan Carter.
The 24-year-old defender went to the turf and stayed there as medical staff rushed to seek help.
Norris received about 20 minutes of on-site treatment before being placed on a stretcher and carefully loaded into an ambulance. He was taken to Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta for further evaluation.
The Lions then confirmed Norris’ condition was stable, and “feeling and sports of the limbs” provided relief for teammates and fans.
Detroit led 17-10 when injured. Lions head coach Dan Campbell and Falcons head coach Raheem Morris, with 6:31 left, agreed to end the game as soon as possible.
“Rachim is the ultimate class bill,” Campbell said. “We agree that it’s not a good fit to finish this game. It’s an eye-opener. It plays a little bit different and sees it as perspective. The silver is the fraternity – it makes a lot of sense to see both teams come together and think about another player.”
This decision was supported by two sideline players. Lions quarterback Kyle Allen said it was obvious from the moment the coach asked for a stretcher.
“Usually, you’ll see a few trainers there. When they take out the stretcher, it’s never good,” Allen said.
“We just started praying for him and hoped to do the best. When it took so long and there were a lot of people around you, you just knew it wasn’t worth it to keep playing.”
Falcons’ wide receiver Casey Washington responded to these feelings. “That’s someone’s life, that’s bigger than football,” he said.
The Lions are expected to provide further updates to Norris’ condition in the coming days as they prepare for the next preseason.
