The sight of a player being carted off the field to the medical facility is not an easy thing to witness. When the Detroit Lions linebacker lay motionless on the field yesterday, it sent chills to those watching in Ford Field or on television, including ESPN’s Pat McAfee, who gave his take on the incident.
“This hit looked like that it happens maybe 60 times in a football game,” said McAfee on The Pat McAfee Show. “This is a quick reminder that this is possible at any moment in this sport. Obviously, our prayers, positive vibes, and thoughts are with Jack and his family, the entire Lions organization, but this is the scary reality of football.”
As McAfee mentioned, it looked like a normal play. However, the way Jack Campbell’s head landed led to the disaster. When Vikings quarterback Kyler Murray threw a pass to tight end T.J. Hockenson, the linebacker intended to tackle him. As he made the move to bring the Vikings star down, the head made direct contact with Hockenson’s lower body, which forced Campbell’s neck backward into an awkward position and caused the frightening injury, as he did not even move after falling flat on the turf.
The incident halted the game for a while and made Jack’s teammate Aidan Hutchinson emotional, which brought out the best in him and was praised by McAfee.
Pat McAfee Reveals How Jack Campbell’s Injury Fueled Aidan Hutchinson Against Vikings
Aidan Hutchinson was visibly worried when Jack Campbell was carted off the field. Even though the Lions were ahead by five points, the star linebacker’s loss could have derailed momentum, but the edge rusher made sure it did not happen, as he was seemingly more motivated to finish the game with a win in honor of his teammate.
“Hutch comes and wrecks it, emotionally driven by seeing his friend carted off like that,” McAfee added during the same episode, highlighting the kind of difference he made on the field. “Absolutely devastated for Jack Campbell and just a reminder of what could happen on the football field.”
Though the edge rusher did not have a sack, he was relentless in putting pressure on the Vikings offense in the last quarter. He played a key role in the Lions’ pass rush on fourth down that stopped the Vikings in their tracks. He logged 4 solo tackles and 1 QB hit in the game, while Jack had 3 total tackles before the injury.
Jack Campbell is likely to be out for the season, but he signed a new contract extension in the offseason.
Jack Campbell Signed A $81 Million Contract Extension This Year
As per the latest report from the Lions, Campbell is recovering and resting in the local hospital, and the signs are positive. His future in football remains in the air, but he just signed a new contract in May.
He signed a new contract extension of $ 81 million for 4 years, which included a total guarantee of $51.4 million. However, the Lions will be hoping that the injury is a temporary setback instead of the final chapter of his football journey.
Pat McAfee Shares Chilling Take on Jack Campbell’s Scary Injury