Football match between Lions and Falcons halts prematurely due to critical injury sustained by Detroit's Morice Norris
Detroit Lions Safety Morice Norris Suffers Serious Head Injury in Preseason Game
Detroit Lions safety Morice Norris was injured during a preseason game against the Atlanta Falcons on August 8, 2025. The incident occurred in the fourth quarter when Norris attempted to tackle Atlanta running back Nathan Carter.
Norris suffered a concussion and a tonic-clonic seizure, a type of grand mal seizure characterized by body stiffness followed by rhythmic jerking. This seizure was caused by abnormal electrical activity in his brain triggered by the head trauma. Despite the severity, Norris retained movement in all extremities, which was a positive sign.
Immediate care was administered on the field, and Norris was taken off on a backboard and transferred to Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta for overnight observation. The game was suspended "per New York" after play resumed, with both coaches deciding not to finish the game.
As of August 11, 2025, Lions coach Dan Campbell reported that Norris was "doing well" and "good to have him back" at the team's facility. Norris is currently in the NFL concussion protocol and is being monitored carefully. The team plans to take a cautious approach over the next 10 to 14 days before reassessing his condition.
The NFL has strict protocols for concussions, which include immediate removal from play following suspected symptoms, evaluation and stabilization on the field, ambulance transport to a hospital for advanced assessment, and strict adherence to the concussion protocol for gradual return to play.
This incident comes eight months after Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin went into cardiac arrest and had to be resuscitated on the field during a regular season game at Cincinnati in January 2023. Hamlin enjoyed a remarkable recovery and resumed football the following season, spending last year as a Bills starter.
AP Sports Writer John Wawrow contributed to this report. Lions coach Dan Campbell has asked for prayers for Norris, and Norris' mother was with him at the hospital.
In August 2023, there were two precedents of preseason games being suspended or not completed due to player injuries. In a separate incident, the New England Patriots vs Green Bay Packers preseason game was called off in Week 2 of the 2023 preseason when Patriots cornerback Isaiah Bolden was carted off in the fourth quarter.
The Lions led 17-10 when play was stopped. Norris' condition is currently stable, and he has feeling and movement in all his extremities. The football community continues to hope for a speedy and full recovery for Morice Norris.
Seattle, a city known for its sports teams like the Seahawks and Mariners, is once again in the spotlight due to a serious injury suffered by Detroit Lions safety Morice Norris during a preseason game against the Atlanta Falcons. The incident, similar to earlier incidents involving sports injuries, necessitated the NFL's strict concussion protocol, which Norris is currently following. Seattle sports fans, along with the rest of the American-football community, are hoping for a speedy and full recovery for Norris. Despite the ongoing suspension of games due to serious injuries, such as the incident involving Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin in 2023, the NFL season continues, with the Lions' fate in the NFL yet to be decided until Norris recovers.
