DETROIT (AP) – Detroit Lions safety Morice Norris took to social media on Saturday to update fans on his health after a concerning incident during a preseason game against the Atlanta Falcons. Norris, 24, was injured late in the game and was transported off the field via ambulance. He expressed his gratitude for the support he received, stating he is "all good man don’t stress," and thanking those who checked in on him.
In his social media message, Norris shared a screenshot about expressing gratitude along with a Bible verse, stating “Amen Amen.” He was attended to for approximately 20 minutes by medical personnel before being taken to an Atlanta hospital, where he was reported to be in stable condition late Friday night.
The incident occurred with 14:50 remaining in the game when Norris, while making a tackle on Falcons running back Nathan Carter, sustained an injury. He had struck Carter with his facemask aimed at the running back's midsection, resulting in his head snapping back. Following the injury, play resumed, and Atlanta quarterback Emory Jones snapped the ball as players from both teams stood still at the line of scrimmage, with the clock continuing to run.
Lions quarterback Kyle Allen expressed concern over the protocols in place when such injuries occur, noting, “It’s never good when they bring out the stretchers.” Eventually, with 6:31 left in the fourth quarter, an official announced the game had been suspended “per New York,” with the Lions leading the Falcons 17-10. Both Detroit coach Dan Campbell and Atlanta coach Raheem Morris agreed that it was inappropriate to continue the game under such circumstances.
“Raheem Morris is a class act,” Campbell said, praising the opposing coach for his professionalism in the situation. “We agreed it just didn’t feel right to finish that game.” Norris, who played college football at Fresno State, had previously made the team as an undrafted rookie and played in eight games last season.
This incident in Atlanta comes on the heels of other significant injuries that led to the early cessation of preseason games in recent years. For instance, in Week 2 of the 2023 preseason, a game between the New England Patriots and the Green Bay Packers was called off when Patriots cornerback Isaiah Bolden was carted off the field after a collision during a play. Another similar situation unfolded the following week when Dolphins receiver Daewood Davis was injured and subsequently taken to the hospital during a game against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
The heightened concern surrounding injuries in football has continued since Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin went into cardiac arrest during a regular-season game in January 2023. Joyously, Hamlin has made a remarkable recovery, returning to the sport and securing a starting position with the Bills the following season.
As Allen articulated, players in the NFL are aware of the inherent risks involved in the sport. “You sign up for football and you understand the risk, you understand the injury risk,” he said. “You never think something like that is going to happen. At the end of the day, we’re all out here as football players.”
