The first Seattle Seahawks scrimmage of training camp turned somber after defensive end Branden Jackson was knocked unconscious during the first half. The mock game took place at CenturyLink Field, and Jackson was rushed to the hospital. According to Seahawks.com, Jackson appeared to collide with tackle Cedric Ogbuehi prior to falling to the ground.
“The timing was just before halftime, so we called off the rest of the day just really to honor the love for him,” Pete Carroll noted, per Seahawks.com. “He’s one of our all-time favorite guys and everybody wanted to make sure we could send him as much (love) as we could possibly to make sure he’s OK.”
There is a bit of good news as Jackson appeared to move his lower extremities before leaving in an ambulence. Carroll went on to explain that the team felt it was right to halt the game after the first half.
“But we still had to do the right thing and totally take care of him until we know more,” Carroll added.
It has been a challenging offseason for Jackson who was a free-agent. The Seahawks originally tendered Jackson but later released him prior to training camp. Jackson was then re-signed to a more team-friendly deal and is expected to be a key part of the Seahawks pass rush rotation this season.
Jackson Remained Unconscious for ‘Several Minutes’
The scrimmage was not televised or live-streamed but there were a few media members in attendance. ESPN’s Brady Henderson described a scary situation with Jackson remaining unconscious for “several minutes”.
Replays showed Jackson’s helmet colliding with that of offensive tackle Cedric Ogbuehi as the two engaged at the line of scrimmage. Jackson fell to the turf and remained there for several minutes before the team’s medical staff strapped him onto a backboard, with the face mask removed from his helmet, and loaded him into an ambulance.
With No Preseason Games, the Seahawks Scheduled 2 Scrimmages to Mimic Regular Season Contests
The idea of the scrimmage was to mimic exactly what an NFL regular-season game will look like. With no preseason games, the two scrimmages are designed to give players a glimpse at what to expect in Week 1. This is especially important for rookies who will be even more unprepared for their first NFL game given the unorthodox offseason and training camp.
Prior to the injury, the Seahawks mapped out an extensive plan to simulate a regular-season game. The contest took place at CenturyLink Field where the Seahawks will still play their home games, even if fans are not expected to be in attendance. Players ran out onto the field and had pregame warmups. Prior to the game, there was a coin toss for the first possession of the ball and there was expected to be a mock halftime as well.
Russell Wilson on Jackson: ‘I Believe He’ll Be Okay’
The Seahawks have not provided an official update but there were a few positive signs. After the game, Wilson noted that he is praying for his teammate and added “I believe he’ll be okay.”
“I’m praying that he’ll be OK,” Wilson told ESPN. “I believe he’ll be OK, it sounds like.”
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Seahawks Pass Rusher Sent to Hospital as Scrimmage Halted Early