Remarkably, Darrell Taylor does not have a neck injury, could play in Seahawks’ next game
All good — and relieving — signs for Darrell Taylor following his scary scene in Pittsburgh.
After leaving Heinz Field strapped to a stretcher and immobilized by paramedics as a precaution against a possible neck injury, the Seahawks’ leading sack man this season does not have a neck concern but perhaps a shoulder injury.
Coach Pete Carroll said Monday afternoon MRI exams and CT scans were “clear” for Taylor and showed no damage to his neck.
Remarkably, Carroll said Taylor may be able to play next Monday when the Seahawks (2-4) host the New Orleans Saints (3-2).
The second-year edge rusher and linebacker who has four sacks in six games flew home with the team to Seattle Monday morning following its overtime loss to the Steelers.
“A really, really positive report,” Carroll said. “The MRI stuff was clear. His CAT-scan stuff was clear.
“He does not have a neck injury.”
A national-television audience plus 60,000 fans and both teams inside Heinz Field watched Sunday night as Taylor stayed down motionless on his back for about 10 minutes during the fourth quarter of the tense game Pittsburgh won in overtime 23-20.
Taylor was injured making a tackle on Steelers running back Najee Harris on a running play up the middle with 3 minutes left in the fourth quarter and the scored tied at 17. After 10 minutes, with both teams forming facing semi-circles around the 24-year-old Taylor, a motorized cart was driven to the center of the field.
Paramedics strapped Taylor’s head and body to the stretcher to immobilize him. He was driven off the field.
It looked like the worst nightmare in football.
“He got, you know, he got jammed pretty good,” Carroll said.
“We’ve got to wait and see what it’s like. But it may be more in the shoulder, as we figure it out. But he’s not out of the woods of playing this week.
“That’s a thrilling response to what it looked like and everybody could have anticipated.
“A really, really good report. A lot of people were upset about that, for good reason. Whenever they take a guy off like that the threat is so huge.
“Anyway, he came out great. So we will hope for the best, and he may have a chance to go this week.”
This story was originally published October 18, 2021 at 4:33 PM.
