Atlanta Falcons rookie linebacker Kendal Daniels needed to be stretchered off the field at Mercedes-Benz Stadium after colliding with a Chicago Bears player while trying to make a tackle.
Daniels was sprinting in to take down Bears tight end Colston Loveland when his helmet smashed into Loveland’s knee.
While he made the play, Daniels shook his head immediately and was clearly in some pain as his teammates started to converge around him.
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Daniels, who was taken in the fourth round out of Oklahoma in the 2026NFL Draft, was attended to by numerous medical staff as the entire Falcons sideline started to circle their teammate. Some even began to pray as the injury to Daniels became more serious.
Some reporters in the press box in Atlanta noted seeing Daniels having his jersey cut off by medical staff. Then, he was placed in a gurney with his body stabilized.
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“You just saw his left hand there – we have seen his hand move a couple times. He’s conscious and every precaution taken to give him the best care. I sure hope he’s OK,” FOX Sports play-by-play announcer Kevin Burkhardt said over the broadcast.
It’s great to see Daniels moving his extremities considering how scary those potential neck injuries can be on hits like that.
“Hard for these teammates to watch their partner go out there like that. They’re going to do the best they can to represent him the rest of the game,” Tom Brady added over the broadcast.
Daniels has been a starter for Kevin Stefanski’s Falcons defense in all six games during his rookie season.
He’s played well, too, collecting 22 combined tackles, one sack and one pass defended over five games entering this tilt with the Bears on Sunday.
Daniels was transported to Grady Memorial Hospital to assess his injury, and prayers are with the young linebacker after this scary situation.