Sports
Falcons rookie Kendal Daniels returns to stadium after neck injury scare
Atlanta linebacker Kendal Daniels was conscious and had movement in all four extremities after being taken to Grady Memorial Hospital during Sunday’s loss to Chicago. He returned to Mercedes-Benz Stadium later that afternoon, but the team had not announced a diagnosis.
ATLANTA — Falcons rookie linebacker Kendal Daniels was conscious and able to move all four extremities after suffering a neck injury in Atlanta’s 31-23 loss to the Chicago Bears on Sunday, Oct. 18, the team said.
Daniels was transported to Grady Memorial Hospital for evaluation after his facemask struck the knee of Bears tight end Colston Loveland while Daniels made a tackle with 8:48 left in the third quarter. Medical personnel immobilized him and carried him from the field on a stretcher.
He returned to Mercedes-Benz Stadium and entered the Falcons’ locker room shortly after 5 p.m., about two hours after the injury. The team did not provide a diagnosis or further details about his condition.
Coach Kevin Stefanski said the initial reports were encouraging. “The reports are good,” he said, while emphasizing that Daniels remained under medical care.
The injury interrupted a difficult afternoon for Atlanta, which fell to Chicago at home. Daniels is a rookie linebacker who had taken on a prominent role in the defense, including communicating calls to teammates.