Concern in the Cardinals: J.J. Russell is taken off the field due to injury
The Arizona Cardinals’ Thursday practice was abruptly halted after linebacker J.J. Russell was carted off the field. The incident occurred during a 7-on-7 drill. According to a statement from the team on X, Russell was transported to a local hospital to be evaluated for a head and neck injury. The statement also indicated that Russell was conscious and could move his extremities. The collision involved Russell and rookie Kitan Crawford, who collided while attempting to switch their positions on the field to cover the receivers. Their helmets apparently collided, and Russell fell to the ground motionless, requiring the rapid attention of the Cardinals’ medical staff. Crawford was able to get up and walk off the field. Paramedics stabilized Russell on a stretcher before removing him from the field. The entire team gathered to show their support before the stretcher was moved. The entire situation, from the impact to Russell being carried out on a stretcher, took approximately 10 minutes. Before resuming practice, coach Jonathan Gannon gathered the team at midfield and ended the training about six minutes earlier than planned.Russell signed a one-year contract with the Cardinals in May, worth $1.1 million. Previously, he played three seasons with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who signed him as an undrafted free agent in 2022. In Tampa, he participated in 30 games with four starts, accumulating 36 tackles, two passes defended, one sack, and one tackle for loss in three years. He also recorded 13 tackles and one fumble recovery on special teams. Last season, he set career highs with 16 games played, three starts, 25 tackles, and two passes defended.“You never want to see that,” veteran defensive tackle Calais Campbell said after practice. “It’s awful. Hopefully everything is okay. We’ll see how the process plays out, but I was glad to see him moving, so it’s bad, but it’s one of those things that happen in football.”
Calais Campbell
