The Detroit Lions handed the previously unbeaten Minnesota Vikings their first loss of the season on Sunday, but the win was overshadowed by a frightening scene at Ford Field.
All-Pro linebacker Jack Campbell was carted off on a backboard early in the fourth quarter and taken to a local hospital with a neck injury, where he remained overnight.
On Tuesday, Lions head coach Dan Campbell delivered the news everyone in Detroit was hoping for.
“The good news is he is improving,” Campbell said on 97.1 The Ticket’s “Costa & Jansen with Heather” show. “But we also — we got a job to do, and this is what we’re tasked with and there’s a reason why we go through all this stuff. It’s to get to where we wanna go collectively as a team, and adversity comes in all shapes and sizes and we gotta overcome everything that comes our way.”
Jack Campbell Carted Off in Scary Scene at Ford Field
Campbell went down after tackling Vikings tight end T.J. Hockenson, his third tackle of the game, and he stayed face down on the turf without moving.
Medical staff attended to him for several minutes before strapping him to a backboard and lifting him onto the cart. Players from both teams took a knee, and the entire Lions roster, along with most of the coaching staff, surrounded the cart before it left the field.
It was an emotional moment for Detroit. Defensive end Aidan Hutchinson, a fellow defensive captain, appeared to be in tears.
Campbell was alert and breathing when he was taken to the hospital, according to the Associated Press.
The Lions didn’t have an update after the game. “We’re thinking about him,” Dan said.
Dan Campbell Says Prayers Are Working for Jack Campbell
The first sign of good news came Monday, when the team said in a statement that “Jack Campbell continues to rest and recover at a local hospital.”
The Lions added that preliminary indications were positive but declined to share more out of respect for Campbell and his family. Dan Campbell echoed that at his Monday press conference.
“It’s positive. Your prayers are working,” the Lions coach said.
Campbell also said he’s kept the team captains updated on the linebacker’s condition. The Lions still haven’t released a diagnosis or a timetable for his return.
Lions Turn the Page to Dolphins Without Jack Campbell
Campbell’s absence is a massive blow on the field too.
The 26-year-old was a first-team All-Pro last season after racking up 176 tackles, five sacks and three forced fumbles. Detroit rewarded him with a four-year, $81 million extension with $51.5 million guaranteed in May.
Before Sunday, the 2023 first-round pick hadn’t missed a game in his career. For now, Detroit will lean on Derrick Barnes, Trevor Nowaske and Malcolm Rodriguez in the middle of the defense.
“We feel good with what we’ve got,” Dan Campbell said.
Dan Campbell Shares Encouraging News on Lions’ Jack Campbell After Frightening Injury