Falcons' Raheem Morris deemed 'class act' for halting Lions game after Morice Norris' scary injury

The preseason is always a great opportunity for players fighting for a roster spot to prove what they’re capable of. On Friday night, the Atlanta Falcons and the Detroit Lions faced off in a preseason matchup at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. While it was a competitive battle, no one was prepared for how the night would end.

The game progressed into the fourth quarter when Lions cornerback Morice Norris suffered a frightening injury. While making a tackle, a knee struck his head, and he remained down on the field. He was rushed to the hospital, but encouraging signs followed — Norris was blinking and speaking as he was transported to the hospital.

After the injury, the Falcons and Lions resumed play briefly, but only to run out the clock. Falcons quarterback Emory Jones took the snap at the start of the quarter and simply held the ball until the game was eventually suspended.

“Play was officially suspended at 9:35 p.m. ET with 6:19 remaining in the game after an announcement from referee Shawn Hochuli. The Lions were leading, 17-10, at the conclusion of the game. Players from both teams gathered with 14:50 remaining in the fourth quarter and let the game clock run down until Hochuli's announcement,” NFL.com’s Grant Gordon reported.

Lions head coach Dan Campbell later revealed that Falcons head coach Raheem Morris played a major role in the decision to suspend the game.

“Raheem Morris is the ultimate class act," Campbell said. "We agreed it wasn't right to complete that game."

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The Falcons’ social media team quickly extended their well wishes to Norris, his family, and the Lions organization.

Our thoughts and prayers are with Morice Norris, his family, and the Lions organization pic.twitter.com/XySrJKQhzG

— Atlanta Falcons (@AtlantaFalcons) August 9, 2025

This was a scary moment, and Morris’s decision to have his team hold the ball and run down the clock speaks volumes about his character. Both teams came together during a moment of crisis, and the early reports on Norris are encouraging. Morris continues to show why he's one of the most respected coaches in the league. Some things are simply more important than football — and tonight, Morris made that clear through his leadership.