Detroit Lions-Atlanta Falcons preseason opener is suspended after frightening hit leaves player motionless

The Lions-Falcons preseason opener in Atlanta was suspended Friday night after Detroit safety Morice Norris was left motionless on the field by a frightening second-half collision.  

Players from both teams took a knee as Norris was treated by medical personnel and removed from the turf at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. 

Details of the injury were not immediately known.

Norris was seen lowering his head as he attempted to tackle Falcons running back Nathan Carter in the second half. Carter’s knee appeared to hit Norris’ helmet, sending the 24-year-old’s head jerking backwards as he fell to the turf. 

He was attended to on the turf for about 20 minutes before being removed on a stretcher and placed into an ambulance. 

On the ensuing play, Falcons quarterback Emory Jones simply held the ball as players from both teams stood still, allowing the clock to run down to 6:31. At that point, an official announced the preseason game had been suspended by the league offices in New York with the Lions leading 17-10. 

Lions coach Dan Campbell was also seen address his players in an emotional scene.  

The last NFL game to be suspended due to a player injury was in January of 2023, when Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin suffered a cardiac arrest after trying to make a tackle on Cincinnati Bengals receiver Tee Higgins.

Hamlin was revived on the field and has since made his return to the NFL.

After an impressive college career at Fresno State, Norris went undrafted in the 2024 NFL Draft, but still managed to catch on with the Lions’ practice squad after failing to make the team after training camp.

Later, following a string of late-season injuries to Lions players, Norris was signed off the practice squad and made his NFL debut in Detroit’s playoff loss to the Washington Commanders.