ANALYSIS
An NFL preseason game was recently halted as players dropped to their knees in prayer after a horrifying on-field injury. It’s a story that definitely could have had a very tragic ending, but it actually led to some positive updates and hopeful moments.
The Lions-Falcons preseason game got lots of attention over the weekend after being suspended. The 24-year-old safety for the Detroit Lions, Morice Norris, suffered a head injury during the game on Friday night when he tried to tackle Atlanta’s running back.
His head collided with the running back’s leg and appeared to seriously injure his neck. In that moment, an ambulance was called onto the field, and he was quickly taken to a local hospital, where Norris has since released some updates that he’s able to move and is likely going to fully recover.
But it’s what happened on the field after Norris was taken off that really got people’s attention because the teams immediately decided to stop playing and let the clock run out while they circled up to pray around Norris and on the sidelines too.
PHOTO: Members of the Atlanta Falcons and Detroit Lions gather at midfield during the second half of an NFL preseason football game, Friday, Aug. 8, 2025, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Danny Karnik)
There’s a cool video posted on X of the players from both teams quickly gathering in a circle and holding hands while they bowed their heads in prayer. And that prayerful posture continued.
Powerful moment at the Lions vs Falcons game! Players came together to PRAY for Morice Norris – DB for the Lions!! PRAYERS UP!
— Fred Shrum , (@StantonsStache) August 10, 2025
So what’s Norris’ current status? How’s he doing?
Just a few hours after the game, the Detroit Lions shared on X that he was in stable condition and he was able to move all of his extremities, which was huge because neck and head injuries can cause paralysis or even death. They also updated that he would remain in the hospital overnight for observation.
Then on Saturday morning, Norris himself posted on Instagram that he was all good and grateful for the support that he received. In that same post, he shared a Bible verse from 1 Thessalonians 5:18, which says, “Give thanks in all circumstances for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”
He turned a test into a testimony as Norris and his whole team focused on prayer in this scary situation.
How did some of the other players respond in the midst of all that was going on?
Shortly after the game, Norris’ head coach, Dan Campbell, was talking to reporters and sharing the few positive updates that they had so far when he said that he and the Falcons’ head coach quickly agreed that it didn’t feel right to finish the game and instead told the teams to take a knee until the game was over, which the athletes later said they easily agreed to do.
The Falcons receiver, Casey Washington, said, “As soon as it happened, I just took a knee and started praying. I know God is watching out for us. I know He’s got a hand on him. I’m praying for his mom and praying for his family.”
PHOTO: Atlanta Falcons players pray after their NFL preseason football game was suspended after Detroit Lions safety Morice Norris was injured Friday, Aug. 8, 2025, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)
The Lions quarterback Kyle Allen also spoke up and talked about how when you sign up for football, you understand risk and putting your body on the line, but you never think that something like that is going to happen, something that serious, which is true, that we never know when our time on earth is up, whether we’re playing a dangerous sport or not.
The players recognize that and were quick to drop into a prayerful posture because they know how dangerous the sport is. These coaches and teams took the moment to pause and think about what matters: a human life at stake and seeking the Lord in a situation that’s beyond their control.
When the seriousness of a life being threatened comes to light, we get a very clear picture of what’s truly important. In these moments, you see more and more players have become a lot more genuine about prayer and their testimonies as serious believers speak up across the athletic world.
Obviously, these athletes are younger people, and CBN News has been reporting a lot on the revivals that have been happening on college campuses and even among top college football teams, which have actually been leading revivals on campuses too. It does seem like we’re seeing more and more of that in the sports world, from big-time college athletics to professional sports as well.
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So often in the secular world, even the media, when tragedies happen, people kind of laugh off when Christians say, “I’m praying for you, I’m praying about that, I’m praying that God would bring peace and restoration to a situation.” But encouraging stories like this just show that the most powerful thing that we as human beings can do is to commune with our Creator and ask God to intervene in a situation.
This latest example of players recognizing their platform is also reminiscent of the Forrest Frank broken back injury that we covered recently, where he posted about the power of prayer and he shared how thankful he was that he went through what he went through because it allowed him to share the gospel and to share his faith and his hope with people. And Norris’s post in similar in that he’s giving thanks in all circumstances, even though this was a really scary moment for him. It’s the latest example of how God is allowing people to use their platforms for His glory.
PRAY: For Norris’s injury to heal and that he recovers fully from it. Also be praying that there are fewer injuries like this, and that these athletes will keep pointing to faith, God, and the power of prayer.
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