Injuries are common in the NFL. Fans are familiar with minor scratches and strains. However, what went down at the Lions‘ vs. Falcons game rattled everyone present at the stadium. Morice Norris’ frightening injury sent shockwaves through both the fans and the Lions‘ sideline. Head coach Dan Campbell made it clear the team’s focus was on Norris’s well-being. “We got some positive information on him when he [arrived] at the hospital. I’ll have to just leave it like that. When something like that happens, it puts things in perspective. We’re just praying for Mo,” he said. The latest update about the player’s health might finally give some relief to the head coach.

Right at the start of the fourth quarter, Norris went in to bring down Falcons running back Nathan Carter, but Carter’s knee accidentally caught him in the head. Norris went limp instantly. There were just 14 minutes and 50 seconds left on the clock. After a 20-minute evaluation on-field, he was transported by ambulance to a nearby hospital, and the preseason game was called off with 6 minutes and 31 seconds remaining. Now, the franchise has finally released its official update.

“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. 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,” the official X post by the Detroit Lions wrote. He appeared in two games last season and made three tackles at the game before the injury.

The tension was seen over onto social media, where worried fans poured out messages of concern. Even the rival Atlanta Falcons, who had just gone head-to-head with the Lions, shared words of encouragement and prayers for Norris. “Our thoughts are with you, @detroitlionsnfl,” the official IG page of the Falcons shared.

Terrion Arnold, clearly just as shaken as the rest of the team, went online to send him his best wishes. “He’s good all glory to God,” he wrote. The preseason game was officially suspended at 9:35 p.m. At that point, the Lions were leading 17-10. The former Fresno State star joined the Lions as an undrafted free agent in spring 2024. Well, there’s another quick decision by both the coaches that saw the game end early.

Dan Campbell and Raheem Morris made a big decision

Norris’ unfortunate injury was followed by great sportsmanship and respect. The Falcons coach, Raheem Morris, and Lions coach Dan Campbell agreed to effectively end their preseason game early Norris was injured. The incident had prompted both coaches to halt competitive play out of respect for the player’s condition.

Morice Norris’s injury visibly shook players on both sides, and many were unprepared to continue playing under those conditions. This collective unease may have also contributed to the team making the decision. Instead of continuing the game, the Falcons took a single snap before all players simply stood on the field, letting the clock run out.

“Just Dan and myself, respect for his family, Morice Norris, it was that simple. There’s not a lot of times that happens. I can’t sit here and tell you I’ve been through a lot of those or seen a lot of those. I don’t think any of us have. That was the moment decision and it was the right thing to do for our football team and the Lions’ football team with what happened tonight,” coach Morris said.

Morris explained that the choice to stop playing was driven purely by concern for the player and his family. It is rare for the NFL teams to mutually agree to end a game early. Interestingly, the NFL league office was not involved in the decision, and Morris said he did not consider whether the league would approve of this informal agreement to end the game early.

Given the circumstances and the serious nature of Norris’s injury, it is unlikely the league would have objected. In preseason games, the focus is often on player safety and evaluation. Regardless, it was a kind gesture by both coaches.