Getty Russell Gage sustained a concussion on Monday after a scary hit to the back of his neck.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Russell Gage‘s condition improved enough to leave the hospital less than 24 hours after a scary on-field injury, and he sent a message on social media to thank everyone for the prayers.
“I appreciate all of the texts, calls, thoughts and prayers you all have expressed towards my family and I,” Gage wrote on Twitter on Tuesday. “I just wanted to let you all know that I’m doing great and in great spirits! Thank you!
Gage took a shot to the back of his neck late in the Bucs’ 31-14 Wild Card game loss to the Dallas Cowboys on Monday, January 16. Medical personnel stabilized Gage with a spine board before he was carted off. Most of the players from both teams gathered around Gage and prayed. Gage spent the night in a Tampa hospital and got released on Tuesday amid a concussion diagnosis.
The Bucs confirmed by Tuesday morning in a statement that Gage “had movement in all extremities”. Bucs head coach Todd Bowles anticipated Gage’s release from the hospital on Tuesday and that Gage’s “neck is fine” during a press conference.
While injuries such as Gage’s have occurred before many times in football, the January 2 medical emergency with Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin still looms across the league. Hamlin recovered from cardiac arrest and was released from the hospital last week.
“It was really tough — especially with what happened a couple weeks ago,” Bucs linebacker Lavonte David told reporters on Tuesday. “Russ is a great dude off the field and a great guy on the field. We definitely hope he’s well. He was moving and stuff like that; that was a good sign. Definitely hope he’s OK.”
Bucs’ Cameron Brate Relates Gage’s Injury
Gage’s injury also wasn’t the first potential neck injury of the season for the Bucs. Tight end Cameron Brate sustained a neck injury against the Pittsburgh Steelers in October 2022. Things hit home for Brate amid Gage’s injury.
“You hate to see a guy go down like that, especially with the game being kind of out of reach at that point,” Brate told the media via ESPN’s Jenna Laine. “It’s really hard to see your teammate like that. We’re all thinking about Russ and hope he’s doing well. Yeah, it’s tough.”
Gage, 26, signed with the Bucs as a free agent before the 2022 season. He caught 51 passes for 426 yards and five touchdowns this season. He has a 3-year, $30 million deal with the Bucs, per Spotrac.
Gage Dealt With Injuries Throughout the Season
Injuries hobbled Gage at times this season, including a back injury in Week 18 against his former team, the Atlanta Falcons. Gage caught his fifth touchdown of the season when that injury occurred.
He previously dealt with a hamstring injury, off and on during the season. Hamstring problems began in training camp and caused him to miss four games.
Against the Cowboys, Gage went for a catch late in the fourth quarter when the collision with Cowboys safety Donovan Wilson occurred. While fans on social media called out Wilson’s hit, the former Texas A&M star didn’t get flagged, and the league didn’t hand out any penalty afterward.