NFL players came together to pray and ran out the clock after Morice Norris, a member of the Detroit Lions, was seriously injured during a preseason game.
Preseason games in the NFL are already emotional times for players. Many are trying to make the final roster, and are doing whatever they can to show off their skills.
With this in mind, what the NFL's Atlanta Falcons and Detroit Lions did during the game on Friday, August 8, is even more incredible. After Morice Norris, a cornerback on the Detroit Lions, was seriously injured during the fourth quarter, both teams came together to pray for his recovery and run out the clock.
The ball was snapped with about 14 minutes left in the quarter, and instead of playing out the game, the players made a prayer circle to pray for Norris' recovery. After approximately six minutes, the game was officially suspended by the NFL.
Earlier, Norris' head collided with a player on the Falcons. He immediately was knocked unconscious and was taken off the field by an ambulance.
In a press conference after the game, Lions Coach Dan Campbell praised the Atlanta Falcons' coach Raheem Morris, calling him a "class act" for agreeing to end the game and let the clock run out.
"He is the ultimate class act. We agreed it just didn't feel right to finish the game. That man is a class act. Always has been," said Campbell.
Norris' injury, said Campbell, was "an eye-opener."
"It hits a little different and it puts things in perspective. I tell you what, man, it's a violent game. We love it, but when stuff like this happens, the silver lining is the brotherhood. To see all those guys, from that team, our team kind of come together and everybody is thinking about another player, it just means a lot," he said.
"I told them we are taking knees — they are and we are — until this thing is over," Campbell recounted. "The kid just wants to get better every day. I don't even know what else to say."
The players, too, were glad they did not have to play in the aftermath of Norris' injury. Lions quarterback Kyle Allen told ESPN that while he was not part of the decision-making process, "you could just look in everyone's eyes and see it wasn't worth it."
"Thoughts are heavy right now," said Falcons wide receiver Casey Washington after the game. "That was hard to see. Thoughts and prayers go out to his family. Some things are bigger than football, and situations like that, all you can do is pray for his family and hope that he's all right. It was tough."
A few hours after the game was suspended, the Detroit Lions announced that Norris was "in stable condition and has feeling and movement in all his extremities." He will stay in the hospital overnight for observation.
His teammate, Terrion Arnold, thanked God that Norris appeared to be doing okay after the scary hit.
Norris himself confirmed on his Instagram page that he was "all good." He shared a Bible verse, 1 Thessalonians 5:18, "Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."
Some things, truly, are bigger than sports.
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