Friday’s NFL preseason slate came with a scary moment.
The Lions-Falcons game was suspended in the fourth quarter after Detroit defensive back Morice Norris left the game in an ambulance with an apparent head or neck injury when he collided with Atlanta’s Nathan Carter.
Detroit’s Morice Norris is tended to by medical staff during the fourth quarter the Lions preseason road game against the Falcons on Aug. 8, 2025 which was suspended after his scary injury. Getty ImagesHead coach Dan Campbell said Norris was breathing and had movement while at Grady Memorial Hospital when speaking to reporters after the game.
Hours after the contest, the Lions posted on social media that the defensive back was in “stable condition” but remaining at the hospital.
“Morice Norris is in stable condition and has feeling and movement in all his extremities,” the team wrote on X. “He will remain at Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta overnight for observation.
On the first play of the fourth quarter, Norris went to tackle Carter when the running back’s knee appeared to slam into the safety’s facemask, sending his head backward.
Detroit’s Morice Norris is tended to by medical staff during the fourth quarter the Lions preseason road game against the Falcons on Aug. 8, 2025 which was suspended after his scary injury. Getty Images
Atlanta Falcons and Detroit Lions players stand on the field hand in hand together after Detroit Lions safety Morice Norris was injured. APNorris stayed down on the turf at Mercedes-Benz Stadium before being placed on a backboard and placed in an ambulance.
Once play was set to resume, the ball was snapped by the Falcons before the 22 players on the field formed a circle, holding hands near midfield.
Detroit safety Morice Norris (26) is hit in the helmet by Falcons running back Nathan Carter during the fourth quarter. APThey let the game clock run down, and the proceedings were suspended with a little over six minutes remaining and the Lions leading 17-10.
“I’ll start off with this, obviously, thoughts and prayers are with Mo Norris,” Campbell said in his postgame press conference. “We got some positive information on him, that he’s at the hospital. I’ll just have to leave it at that, but when something like that happens, it puts things into perspective. So, we are just praying for Mo.
“He’s breathing. He’s talking. That’s good. He’s got some movement. And now they’re running more tests.”
The 24-year-old signed as an undrafted free agent out of Fresno State last year, appearing in two regular season games.
“I don’t think anyone on that sideline wanted to play,” Lions quarterback Kyle Allen told reporters. “We weren’t part of that decision, but you could just look in everyone’s eyes and see it wasn’t worth it.”
