As the football world holds its collective breath over the status of Lions linebacker Jack Campbell — who lay motionless on the Ford Field turf after suffering an apparent neck injury against the Vikings — the team has provided a “positive” update.
“Jack Campbell continues to rest and recover at a local hospital,” the team posted on X. “Preliminary indications are positive and out of respect for Jack and his family we will not share further information at this time.”
The Lions have not said whether Campbell has shown any movement in his extremities.
Lions head coach Dan Campbell spoke about the linebacker’s injury during his weekly press conference on Monday afternoon, giving a further update on his status.
“It’s positive. So your prayers are working. Please continue to do that,” Dan Campbell said during his press conference on Monday. “We’ll leave it at that. So we’ll continue to pray, but it is positive news on Jack.”
The coach also said that he saw Jack’s family after the game and that several teammates visited the hospital.
“He’d give you the shirt off his back. He’s just all heart, man. All effort,” he added. “Just an unbelievable person … There’s not a man on this team that doesn’t respect and care about Jack Campbell.”
What happened to Jack Campbell?
During the fourth quarter of Sunday’s game, Jack Campbell and two other Lions defenders converged while tackling Vikings tight end T.J. Hockenson.
During the collision, Campbell appeared to suffer a serious neck injury. The all-pro linebacker fell to the ground motionless and remained there as medical personnel raced to assist him.
Campbell was immobilized, strapped to a backboard and taken off the field on a cart before being transported to a local hospital.
The team issued a statement about Campbell’s status later Sunday evening.
“Jack Campbell is resting and will remain in a local hospital tonight, for continued evaluation and monitoring. The team will provide further updates as we have them,” the team posted on X.
What did Jack Campbell’s teammates say?
In the Lions’ locker room, head coach Dan Campbell briefly addressed the linebacker’s injury during his post-game speech to the team.
“I’m gonna lower this mood a little bit,” he said. “I do not have any more information on Jack. We don’t know anything else at this point.
“So here’s what I wanna do. We’re gonna take a knee. Now I wanna pray for Jack and let’s keep him in our thoughts and prayers, man.”
After the prayer, quarterback Jared Goff also spoke about the devastating injury.
“I know that, tough with Jack. Stick together, lean on each other. Alright?” Goff said.
What did rival Vikings players say?
After the game, Hockenson said he was sending prayers and good vibes out to Campbell.
“Prayers out to Jack Campbell, man, and his family,” Hockenson said. “I was in on that play, I didn’t see what happened. That’s an Iowa guy, I know Jack. I want to send good vibes to him and his family and his locker room. We’re competitors, but at the end of the day, we’re on the same team. We put our bodies on the line every Sunday.
“We know what we signed up for, but you never want to see that … get down on our knees, say a prayer and hope for the best.”
Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell said injuries like this are something “you hate seeing.”
“I just wanted to start by mentioning that we’re all thinking and praying for Jack Campbell,” O’Connell said. “I asked Dan after the game if he had any update. He didn’t have much of one, but it’s definitely something that you hate seeing.
“It was a competitive, super physical NFC North game, but still hard to talk about the result when you see something like that. Thoughts and prayers to him.”
After Campbell’s injury, the Lions held on to win the game 19-15, improving their record to 5-2. The team will next face the Dolphins on Sunday in Miami.