Finishing an NFL preseason game took a backseat Friday night at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, a reminder of the physicality and violence players face every time they step onto the field.
With 14:50 left in regulation of the Detroit Lions–Atlanta Falcons preseason game, Lions defensive back Morice Norris sustained a serious injury after colliding with Falcons running back Nate Carter.
The latest episode of MLive’s Dungeon of Doom podcast dives into the incident and the reaction inside the stadium.
“My heart dropped. It really did,” host Ben Raven said, who was in the press box when Norris went down. “It was something... it was like, holy crap... this is really bad... it was really scary.”
Players and coaches from both sidelines immediately took a knee and prayed together on the field.
“I’m telling you guys, they were running out with the backboard on the field within, like, seriously, like instantly from the time he went down,” Raven said.
Once Norris was secured, an ambulance drove onto the field -- a rare sight in the NFL but one Lions fans may recall from Mike Utley’s 1991 injury, which also occurred early in the fourth quarter.
Co-host Kory Woods noted from the broadcast that Lions secondary coach Deshea Townsend was “visibly shaken... tears in his eyes.” Falcons running back Nate Carter was described as “distraught” and “visibly hurt over what happened.”
Perhaps most moving was how the moment brought both teams together.
“They literally prayed together while an NFL clock was running,” Raven said.
Lions head coach Dan Campbell’s postgame comments, shared on the podcast, captured the weight of the moment: “It hits a little different and, you know, it puts things in perspective... Man, it’s a violent game and we love it, and, you know, but when someone like this happens, the silver lining is, man, the brotherhood.”
That brotherhood extended beyond team loyalties.
“I just want to make it clear this was a nightmare situation,” Raven reflected. “That was very well handled by all involved. That was very respectful. That was a beautiful show of humanity in a moment of confusion and fear.”
Raven also reminded listeners that beneath the uniforms, these are young men putting their bodies at risk.
“These are humans, man. These are humans. That’s a 24-year-old kid,” Raven said. “It really does put things into perspective because football is a very dangerous game.”
Both Raven and Woods closed the podcast by sharing an update on Norris’ health, which came directly from the Lions organization via a released statement.
