TAMPA, Florida. – Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Russell Gage was carried off the field on a stretcher in the fourth quarter of the team’s 31-14 playoff loss to the Dallas Cowboys on Monday night.
Gage was injured when he tripped on a route, went to the ground, failed to make a catch and was hit hard in the neck by safety Donovan Wilson. Gage looked like he was trying to get up but couldn’t and slammed his hand into the grass in frustration.
Players from both teams knelt and prayed while medical personnel attended to Gage. Tom Brady, who threw the pass to Gage, stood by the medical staff before the game resumed.
“They took him to the hospital,” Tampa Bay coach Todd Bowles said. “He’s got a concussion right now. They are also checking him for possible neck injuries.”
As for limb movement, Bowles added: “His fingers were moving when he was down.
The play came two weeks after Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin collapsed, went into cardiac arrest and needed to be resuscitated on the field during another prime-time game Monday night. He was released from a Buffalo-area hospital last week.
“It’s been really tough, especially with what happened a few weeks ago,” Bucs inside linebacker Lavonte David said. “Russ is a great guy off the field and a great guy on the field. We sure hope he’s okay. He was moving and stuff like that. That was a good sign. I hope he’s okay.”
While Tampa Bay’s Cam Brate, who suffered a sprained neck in Week 6 and also left the field on a stretcher, added: That point. It’s really hard to see your teammate like that. We are all thinking of Russ and hope he does well. Yes, it’s hard.
ESPN’s Jenna Lane and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
