Kendal Daniels was carted off the field on Sunday on a back board.
The Atlanta Falcons‘ rookie linebacker was injured on a tackle attempt, and it was a scary moment. He had his teammates surrounding him on the field, many looking distraught.
Once Daniels was carted away, fans and players and coaches were all waiting to hear whether he was doing OK.
Less than an hour later, an announcement was made to provide more details on what had happened.
Kendal Daniels Hospital Update
The Falcons shared on social media that Daniels was taken to Grady Memorial Hospital for further evaluation.
That’s the public hospital for the city of Atlanta.
It’s the 10th-largest public hospital in the United States and is a Level I trauma center.
Is Kendal Daniels Moving?
The Falcons update did share that Daniels was able to move all his extremeties.
Given the fact that he laid immobile on the turf, that’s a crucial update.
Kendal Daniels is alert and has movement in all his extremities. He was taken to Grady Memorial Hospital for further evaluation
— Atlanta Falcons (@AtlantaFalcons) October 18, 2026
Who is Kendal Daniels?
Daniels is a rookie linebacker and 23 years old. He’s originally from the state of Oklahoma, where he was ranked No. 5 among the safety class in his senior year of high school.
He split his college career between Oklahoma State and Oklahoma. He was the Big 12 Defensive Freshman of the Year at OSU.
He’s an impressive athlete, measuring 6-foot-5 and 242 pounds. He ran a 4.76-second 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine and vertical leaped 29.5 inches.
Daniels was chosen by the Falcons in the fourth round of the 2026 NFL Draft at the No. 134 overall pick.
Entering Sunday, he had played in five games in his rookie season. He had 22 tackles, including 2.0 tackles for loss. He has 1.0 sack and one pass defensed so far this season.
Daniels was having the best game of his career on Sunday. He already had seven tackles, including one for a loss.
His playing time had increased because Divine Deablo had already exited the game with an arm injury and been ruled out.
What Happened to Kendal Daniels?
Daniels attempted a low tackle on Chicago Bears tight end Colston Loveland.
Loveland’s right knee hit Daniels directly in the facemask, though, essentially a smash right to the front of his head.
It left Daniels on the ground for quick attention from the trainers, and at least the first update from the Falcons is a good one relative to how the scene on the field looked.
Falcons’ Kendal Daniels Injury Announcement Includes Details On Hospital, If He’s Moving