ATLANTA — The Detroit Lions’ preseason game against the Atlanta Falcons was cut short after Lions defensive back Morice Norris suffered a serious injury with 14:50 remaining at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Friday night.
While attempting a tackle on former Michigan State running back Nathan Carter, Norris’ head collided with Carter’s knee. He laid on the ground, motionless, as a backboard and cart were immediately brought out. He was taken off the field in an ambulance and transported to a local hospital for further evaluation. Head coach Dan Campbell said Norris was breathing, talking and had “some movement.”
“And now they’re running more tests,” Campbell added.
Players from both teams showed serious concern as medical personnel from both teams worked on Norris on the field. Players eventually returned to the field of play, 11 to each side, and formed a prayer circle. But play never resumed and officials announced soon after that the game had been suspended. The Lions were leading, 17-10, when play stopped.
“Raheem Morris is a class act. He’s the ultimate class act. We agreed that it just didn’t feel right to finish that game,” Campbell said. “That man is a class act. Always has been.”
Lions quarterback Kyle Allen said no one on the sideline wanted to continue playing.
“It’s just awful,” Allen said. “Like I said, you sign up for football and you understand the risk, you understand injury and putting your body on the line. But you never think something like that’s going to happen.”
Added Allen, when asked about Atlanta’s players showing care for Norris: “I think anyone that’s put their body on the line on the field understands what they’re doing and understands the gravity of it. At the end of the day, we’re all out here (as) football players. We might be on 32 different teams, but we’ve all played football our whole lives and had our own injuries and been through it. I think people — when you’re on that field and you see that, you understand how dangerous it really is out there. At the end of the day, we’re all football players.”
Football player, medical personnel
Medical personnel aid Detroit Lions safety Morice Norris (26) after he was injured against the Atlanta Falcons during the second half of an NFL preseason football game Friday, Aug. 8, 2025, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)
Norris, 24, is in his second year with the Lions. Campbell said a number of the team’s veteran defensive backs view Norris as a “little brother,” and that he knew some players wanted to go see him in the hospital. Campbell said some members of the organization would stay in Atlanta.
Hendon Hooker, who got the start against Atlanta, was pulled with 5:10 left in the second quarter after turning it over via fumble twice and completing 7-of-10 passes for just 38 yards. Over two games, Hooker is now a combined 10-for-16 passing for 56 yards with three turnovers, including an interception on his final attempt in last week’s loss to the Los Angeles Chargers.
Detroit trotted out Allen with 5:31 to go in the first half, and he outgained Hooker on his first attempt, completing a 68-yard bomb to rookie receiver Jackson Meeks. Two plays after scrambling for eight yards, Allen connected with rookie receiver Isaac TeSlaa in the end zone for an 11-yard score. TeSlaa went up to haul in the throw over veteran cornerback Dee Alford with 2:18 left in the half.
Allen finished the night seven-for-eight for 120 yards and two touchdowns and made a number of impressive plays with both his arm and legs.
After the Lions got off the field with a fourth-down stop to begin the game, Hooker coughed up Detroit’s first turnover. He escaped the pass rush on third down but had the ball jarred loose by ex-Lions linebacker Josh Woods while going for the line to gain; the Falcons recovered at the 41 of Detroit. Atlanta turned it into points with a 57-yard field goal by Lenny Krieg to go up, 3-0, with 8:32 left in the first quarter.
Lions’ Dan Campbell: Morice Norris breathing, talking after taken off field in ambulance
Hooker broke free for a 23-yard gain down the sideline on third-and-10 to extend Detroit's second drive, but the Lions punted after Jackson Meeks dropped a third-down pass a few plays later.
The Lions were assessed four special-teams penalties in the opening quarter. UDFA safety Ian Kennelly jumped offsides on the opening kickoff, TeSlaa was called for an illegal block on the Lions’ first kick return, and then cornerback Dicaprio Bootle and linebacker DaRon Gilbert were both assessed holding penalties on the same punt, all within the first 11:17 of gametime.
Detroit began moving the ball at the start of the second quarter, stringing together four first downs — including a fourth-down completion to TeSlaa that went for 7 yards — before Hooker was strip-sacked, his second fumble of the game. UDFA tackle Mason Miller was beaten cleanly by Arnold Ebiketie and Hooker didn't see or feel the pressure, resulting in a Falcons recovery at the Atlanta 17.
Photo gallery from the Lions-Falcons preseason game
After the TeSlaa touchdown, the Falcons answered right back with a six-play, 70-yard scoring drive that took just 1:44 off the clock. Falcons receiver Chris Blair caught a 29-yard pass down the sideline on Lions cornerback Dicaprio Bootle and finished the job with a 13-yard touchdown catch over Lions defensive back Erick Hallett II, who was also flagged for defensive pass interference on the play.
On the final play of the half, Allen tripped while escaping the pocket, fumbled the football, but recovered as Detroit ran out the clock.
Kicker Jake Bates added the Lions' first points of the second half. After the drive was extended because of a third-down roughing-the-passer call, Bates came on to drill a 57-yard field goal right down Main Street, tying the game at 10-10 with 11:48 to go in the third quarter.
After the Falcons' Krieg missed a 53-yard field goal, wide left, the Lions grabbed a 17-10 lead with 0:42 left in the third quarter. Detroit converted a fourth-and-3 with a third-down rush by Jacob Saylors and Allen found Meeks in the flat one play later for a 1-yard touchdown.
Originally Published: August 8, 2025 at 11:27 PM EDT