Detroit — Here’s what I learned bouncing around the Detroit Lions’ locker room following the team’s 19-15 win over the Minnesota Vikings.
Thoughts with Campbell
Sunday’s victory was undeniably bittersweet.
Obviously, there was joy in securing a hard-fought victory over a previously undefeated divisional opponent. But that was sharply contrasted against linebacker Jack Campbell suffering a terrifying neck injury, where he stayed down, motionless, for several minutes prior to being loaded onto a spinal board with his neck in a brace.
Campbell was immediately taken to a local hospital, where the team announced he’s resting and will remain overnight for ongoing evaluation and monitoring. At publication, there have been no further updates about his condition.
In the locker room, there was understandable stress among his teammates, who also lacked updates.
Guard Tate Ratledge fought back tears when attempting to describe how it felt watching the scene play out.
Several teammates reflected on not only Campbell, but his wife and young child. Most stated they were praying for their teammate. Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell and quarterback Kyler Murray also opened up their media session expressing concern and well wishes for Campbell.
More than 10 minutes passed from the time of the injury until the next snap, a critical fourth-down play where Detroit managed to get a stop.
“We’re in the huddle, really, you feel we’re more united than we’ve ever been before that play,” Aidan Hutchinson said. “It’s a weird dynamic between football, it being a game, you snap out of it to seeing a dude getting carted off, then you’re right back in it. You’re just riding that (emotional) rollercoaster. It’s a little foreign, for sure.”
Several players shared sentiments about that challenge of re-focusing after directing all their emotional energy to the well-being of their teammate.
“Yeah, I'd say it's always so surreal,” quarterback Jared Goff said. “Stuff like that happens, and then they blow the whistle, and we're off again. And yeah, it's hard. It's really hard. And I think you've got to remember these guys are humans and deal with stuff, and we are humans as his teammates and deal with that emotion. Yeah, it's hard. I guess that's the only way I can put it.”