Morice Norris injury: Ambulance on the field for Lions DB after terrifying collision

Detroit Lions safety Morice Norris left Friday’s preseason game against the Atlanta Falcons via ambulance after a scary injury. His head snapped back as he went to make a tackle, and his teammates gathered around as they called for an ambulance.

Norris is preparing for his second season with the Lions after signing with the franchise as an undrafted free agent a year ago. As he left the field, the two teams formed a prayer circle at midfield at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

The Falcons broadcast had an update shortly after Norris’ injury. Announcer Justin Kutcher didn’t see any movement, and Dan Campbell addressed the Lions team. The game then entered a lengthy delay before it was ultimately suspended.

The initial hit that knocked out Morice Norris of the Detroit Lions, note his head hitting the ground hard: pic.twitter.com/tFvF1OZgV7

— Noteworthy News (@newsnoteworthy) August 9, 2025

“We have a slight update, Morice Norris was just lifted up into the ambulance and Dan Campbell brought his team together and is now addressing his team,” Kutcher said on the broadcast. “We have not seen any movement out of Morice Norris and our cameras really couldn’t get much of a view as they had so many personnel around him trying to take the best care possible.

“But there was kind of a chilling moment – it gave you goosebumps – where as they got Morice Norris up (on the backboard), his entire team began to run out onto the field and make like a semi-circle. … Because all these guys want is to see something from their teammate to know he’s OK.”

Norris appeared in just two games last season as a rookie. That came after he spent two years at Fresno State after starting his college career at the junior college level. With Fresno, he totaled 116 tackles, 18 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks, along with two interceptions.

As a senior in 2023, Norris had 59 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks and two interceptions. Those numbers earned him Second Team All-Mountain West honors.

At the time of the suspension, the Lions held a 17-10 lead overt the Falcons. Atlanta head coach Raheem Morris also shared his reaction to the situation. He said it the decision to suspend the game was “the right thing” to do.

“It was tough to watch, it was tough for the other team to see, gettin a teammate hurt that way,” Morris said. “It was the right thing to do for Dan and his team, and everything they had going on. I thought it was the right thing (to do). It was just common ground, common courtesy. Just didn’t like the look of it.”