Everyone is still processing the predicament of Lions cornerbackMorice Norris after his head injury. It came in the second half of the preseason game between the Detroit Lions and Atlanta Falcons.
Norris appeared to take a head shot from the knee from Falcons running back Nathan Carter, and hewas seen lying on the ground. Afterwards, hewas carried off in an ambulance.
The gamewas called at the 6:51 minute mark with the Falcons leading 17-10. Immediately following the injury, fans took to social media toexpress their best wishes to Norris.
Teammates of Norris followed suit. Plus, the Falconsdid the same thing on their official X page.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with Morice Norris, his family, and the Lions organization,” they posted.
Our thoughts and prayers are with Morice Norris, his family, and the Lions organization pic.twitter.com/XySrJKQhzG
— Atlanta Falcons (@AtlantaFalcons) August 9, 2025
Norris was taken to a local hospital following his injury. Lions head coachDan Campbell provided an update on Norris' condition. He confirmed that Norris is speaking, breathing, and showing “some movement”.
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The last time the football world stood still was afterDamar Hamlin went into cardiac arrest in 2023. While Hamlin was able to recover and keep playing, it remains uncertain as to what is next for Norris.
The classiness the Falcons displayed
It could have been easy for the game to go on. Granted, it was a preseason game, but there was football tobe played.
Much of the reaction on social media has celebrated the classiness of the Falcons as the host team for showing their support for their opponents. Football is just a game.
A game that will continue long after this has passed, regardless of what happens with Norris. But it is safe to say that the Falcons have earned the respect of the Lions and their fans.
At the end of the day, some things matter more than the final score.
a]:text-link [&_>a]:underline">Zachary Draves is a sportswriter and broadcaster based in the Quad Cities of Illinois and Iowa. Zachary covers a variety of different sports as well as sports history, sport and society, and sport and culture.