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'He's breathing, he's talking': Dan Campbell gives update on scary Morice Norris injury
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- 'He's breathing, he's talking': Dan Campbell gives update on scary Morice Norris injury
The Detroit Lions and Atlanta Falcons ended their preseason game early on Friday, August 8 after a scary injury to Lions defensive back Morice Norris .
Get live updates on Norris' condition and what happened in the game prior:
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Postgame: Dan Campbell provides updates
During his postgame press conference, Lions coach Dan Campbell gave encouraging words about Morice Norris , who suffered a head injury on the first player of the fourth quarter Friday night.
"He's breathing, he's talking," Campbell said. "He's got some movement and now they're running more tests.
"Morice Norris is a class act. He's the ultimate class act."
Campbell said he agreed with Falcons coach Raheem Morris to not complete the game.
"I just told them to pray for him. At that point we didn't know he was breathing," Campbell said. "I told them we're just taking knees."
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Campbell said Norris' mother was with him and some players were going to stay back at the hospital.
Quarterback Kyle Allen opened his portion of the press conference by saying everyone on the team is "praying for Mo."
0:00 Final: Lions 17, Falcons 10, game suspended
The Lions defeated the Atlanta Falcons , 17-10, in a preseason game that ended by referees with 6:21 left after Detroit safety Morice Norris suffered a head injury on the first play of the fourth quarter at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Friday, Aug. 8.
Norris reportedly was taken via ambulance to a nearby Atlanta hospital after a 21-minute delay. After the next snap, players from both teams gathered on the field for eight minutes.
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Kyle Allen led the Lions with 7-of-8 passing and 120 yards with two touchdowns.
6:21, 4th: Game suspended by officials
After 8:10 minutes of waiting, the referees announced the Lions-Falcons game has been suspended with 6:21 to play.
The suspension occurred after Lions safety Morice Norice suffered a knee to the head. He was taken away in ambulances in a move that seemed to affect both teams.
14:30, 4th: Clock runs after injury
The Lions and Falcons appeared to decide to run out the clock after the injury Morice Norris.
After Norris was taken off to in an ambulance, the next play by the Falcons was snapped and both teams milled around the field as if in agreement.
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Soon after, players from both teams created a circle in the middle of the field as the clock continued to run.
14:50, 4th: Lions' Morice Norris hurt
Lions safety Morice Norris took a knee to the head on the first play of the fourth quarter.
The EMTs were called onto the field immediately after the injury.
Two ambulances drove onto the field to presumably take him to a nearby hospital.
He was injured after taking an inadvertent knee to the head from Falcons running back Nathan Carter , a former Michigan State player.
Norris was stabilized and loaded onto one of the two ambulances on the field.
End of 3rd quarter: Lions 17, Falcons 10
Biggest play:Lions running back Jacob Saylors' 4th-and-3 rush for a first down. The coaches already knew Jake Bates could kick a field goal, so ...
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Longest play:Lions QB Kyle Allen's 14-yard screen pass to Ronnie Bell that turned into a 29-yard play thanks to a Falcons roughing penalty.
Biggest trends:The Falcons were still woeful on third downs (1-for-7 through three quarters). Meanwhile, the Lions played nice with not one penalty in the period.
0:42, 3rd: Saylor, Meeks give Lions another TD
While Kyle Allen was having a pretty good second half, running back Jacob Saylors took control during this third-quarter drive. Saylors gained 37 of the Lions' 57-yard drive.
Saylor converted a first down on a 4th-and-3 run to the Falcons 1. Then Allen hit Jackson Meeks on a slant pattern for a 1-yard touchdown, giving the Lions their second lead of the game.
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Lions 17, Falcons 10.
11:48, 3rd: New QB for Falcons
Emory Jones replaced Eason Stick as the quarterback for the Falcons. His first drive featured a fumble and two sacks.
That said, Jones drove the Falcons to the Lions 35, going 3-for-4 for 35 yards. Lenny Krieg , who played in Germany last year, missed a 53-yard field-goal attempt wide left.
Lions 10, Falcons 10.
2:48, 3rd: Legend of Jake Bates lives
Kyle Allen was at it again and Jake Bates make another too-long kick.
Allen opened the second half with a seven-play, 33-yard drive to the Falcons 39.
His 14-yard pass and subsequent roughing-the-passer penalty led the Lions drive.
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After it fizzled, kicker Jake Bates brought back the fireworks with a 57-yard field goal that tied the game at 10-10. In case you forgot, Bates was the UFL sharpshooter signed by the Lions last year and became their best kicker in years.
Lions 10, Falcons 10.
Halftime: Falcons 10, Lions 7
Biggest play:Lions WR Isaac TeSlaa catching his first touchdown pass as a pro - preseason or regular season.
Longest play:Lions QB Kyle Allen's 68-yard pass to Jackson Meeks..
Biggest trends:The Lions held the Falcons to 0-for-5 on third downs; Lions committed five penalties for 50 yards.
0:34, 2nd: Falcons retake lead, 10-7
The Falcons' two-minute offense looked in midseason form as they marched down the field and scored a touchdown in 1:42.
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Stick ended his night with a 13-yard fade pattern to wide receiver Chris Blair , who caught the ball while Lions safety Erick Hallett was dragging him to the ground.
Stick and Blair got the drive moving with a 29-yard connection on a 2nd-and-5 play to the Lions 36.
2:18, 2nd: Allen sparks Lions; TeSlaa gets TD
Kyle Allen came in and quickly created magic with his crew, driving the Lions to a touchdown in five plays over 80 yards.
Isaac TeSlaa made the touchdown grab, coming down with an acrobatic 11-yard catch in the back of the end zone. It was the first pro touchdown for TeSlaa, who is a Michigan native.
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Allen's third play set up the score: a 68-yard pass to Jackson Meeks that was easily the Lions' most eletrifying play of the preseason.
Lions 7, Falcons 3
5:31, 2nd: New quarterback for Lions
Kyle Allen took over as quarterback on 1st-and-10 at his own 20. He will likley play the rest of the game, barring injury.
Hendon Hooker finished 7-of-10 for 38 yards and three carries for 27 yards rushing.
5:31 2nd: Big Falcons play and another penalty
The Falcons got out from under their goalposts with a 25-yard pass from Eason Stick to Dylan Drummond on a crossing pattern.
The play was kept alive on a third down when Lions defensive tackle Brodric Martin was called for roughing the passer.
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The drive fizzled after eight snaps, but it flipped the field after the Lions took the touchback on the punt.
9:40, 2nd: Falcons get deja vu all over again
Hendon Hooker opened the second quarter by going 4-for-4 with 33 yards, plus a 3-yard scramble.
However, the drive ended when Hooker again was stripped of the ball on a blitz. This time Arnold Ebikitie caused the fumble and Ta'Quon Graham picked up the fumble at the Atlanta 17.
0:00, 1st: Falcons 3, Lions 0
End of the 1st quarter with the Lions trailing.
Biggest play:Atlanta's sack/fumble recovery on Hendon Hooker.
Longest play:Hookers' 23-yard scramble for a first down.
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Biggest trend:Lions with three penalties for 25 yards.
1st, 6:45: Hooker gets loose for big gain
Hendon Hooker had his biggest play of the preseason, breaking loose for a 23-yard scramble down the right sideline. That gave the Lions a 1st-and-10 at their 39.
1st, 8:32: Falcons take 3-0 lead
Lenny Krieg, fighting to knock out encumbent kicker Younghoe Koo , completed the Falcons' drive with a 57-yard field goal that went straight through the goal posts.
1st, 11:03: Falcons sack Hooker, cause fumble
Lions starter Hendon Hooker's night didn't start well. After completing 1 of 2 passes for 2 yards, he tried to scramble out of a crumbling pocket. He was hit by James Woods, who knocked the ball loose. Dee Alford of the Falcons picked up the loose ball and gave Atlanta a 1st-and-10 at the Lions 41.
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1st, 11:45: Lions stop first drive
Falcons got the ball to open the game and they moved the ball quickly to the Lions 38 behind starter Eason Stick's 2-for-2 passing for 23 yards.
However, the opening drive stalled on fourth down as Stick's pass to David Sills ' post pattern flew over his head.
Pregame: Lions suffer OL injury
Detroit Lions offensive tackle Justin Herron (76) leaves the field with an injury before a game against the Atlanta Falcons at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta on Friday, Aug. 8, 2025.
Detroit Lions offensive tackle Justin Herron left the field with an injury before the game against the Atlanta Falcons began.
Herron reportedly suffered an arm injury. He was listed on the Lions depth chart as a fourth-string left tackle.
Lions warming up for preseason game vs Falcons
Check out rookie receiver Isaac TeSlaa (Hudsonville) , noted Lions fan, going deep in warmups on the field. Expect him to get plenty of reps tonight. Can the quarterback find him?
Lions fans are in the house
We know Detroit travels well.
Is Jared Goff playing in preseason today?
No, coach Dan Campbell has always rested starters in preseason games, including Goff, who enters his fifth season starting at quarterback for the Lions and his 10th NFL season.
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Are Lions starters playing in preseason?
Detroit Lions guard Tate Ratledge (69) talks to media members after practice during training camp at Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park on Thursday, July 24, 2025.
No, the Lions are again resting their starters in exhibition games, however Campbell said this week there's a chance he plays their two rookie starters , defensive tackle Tyleik Williams (No. 28 overall pick) and left guard Tate Ratledge (No. 57 overall).
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Do the Lions play today?
Yes, the Lions play today, Friday, Aug. 8.
Date: Friday, Aug. 8.
Location: Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta.
Time: 7 p.m. ET.
The Lions play their second preseason game Friday against the Falcons in Atlanta. The game kicks off at 7 p.m. ET. and will be televised in Detroit on Fox.
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MORE: For Lions safety Brian Branch, best path to All-Pro selection is 'keep being me'
How to watch Lions vs Falcons preseason game
The rest of the Lions preseason will be aired locally on Fox, with the radio broadcast on 97.1 The Ticket.
Kickoff: 7 p.m. Friday, Aug. 8; Mercedez-Benz Stadium, Atlanta.
TV: Fox 2 in Detroit, Lions TV Network .
Streaming: On Fubo (free trial) .
Radio: WXYT-FM (97.1, Lions radio network .)
This game — and all Lions regular-season games — can be streamed on Fubo , which carries Fox 2 on its list of networks.
Lions preseason schedule
Aug. 8: at Falcons, 7 p.m. ET, Fox (in Detroit).
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Aug. 16: vs. Dolphins, 1 p.m. ET, Fox (in Detroit).
Aug. 23: vs. Texans , 1 p.m. ET, Fox (in Detroit).
Stay tuned for the best Lions coverage all year long at freep.com/sports/lions .
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Lions-Falcons updates: Morice Norris 'breathing,' 'talking'
