-
Marc Raimondi
ATLANTA — Just a week after being involved in a collision that resulted in a game-ending injury, Falcons rookie running back Nathan Carter expressed that knowing Lions safety Morice Norris was recovering well helped him step onto the field with confidence on Friday night to carry the football without hesitation.
The outcome was an impressive performance.
Carter accumulated 63 yards on nine carries, featuring a 43-yard touchdown run, in the Falcons’ 23-20 preseason defeat against the Tennessee Titans on Friday night at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. As Carter tore away for the significant gain, his teammates, fellow running backs Bijan Robinson and Tyler Allgeier, erupted in celebration on the sideline.
The atmosphere was strikingly different on August 8 during the Falcons’ initial preseason matchup against the Lions. In the fourth quarter, Carter took a handoff and attempted to leap over Norris. Carter’s knee ended up making contact with Norris’ helmet, causing the safety’s head to snap back.
Norris was down for approximately 20 minutes while trainers attended to him. Ultimately, an ambulance arrived on the field and transported Norris to a nearby hospital. Falcons coach Raheem Morris and Lions coach Dan Campbell made the decision to pause the game, and both teams gathered on the field for a moment of prayer.
1 Related
Norris was moving and communicating at the hospital that night, and he returned to the Lions earlier this week. He is currently in the concussion protocol, but Campbell indicated to reporters that overall «he’s doing well.»
Carter mentioned he reached out to Norris through Instagram direct message earlier this week to check on his condition and convey his best wishes. Carter stated that Norris was in «high spirits» during their conversation.
«He’s doing well, and that provides me a lot of encouragement,» Carter expressed Friday night following the game. «I believe the most significant factor was the knowledge that he was alright and recovering well, and also recognizing that it was just a football play and, ultimately, my performance depends not on trying to perform for others but doing it for the Lord. Therefore, I was truly focusing on my faith and allowing that to be my solace tonight.»
Morris had been with Carter right after the incident last week, placing a hand on Carter’s shoulder while the running back knelt. Morris conveyed that the Falcons are «very proud» to have Carter as part of the squad.
Carter, who previously played as a running back for Michigan State, was an undrafted free agent but possesses appealing physical attributes (a 4.4 40-yard dash) and has performed sufficiently well in camp to potentially secure a spot on the roster.
«He exhibits a fierce running style,» Morris remarked. «He’s tough to bring down. He demonstrated that a few times tonight.»
During his pro day, Carter showcased a 40-inch vertical leap, ranking as the second highest among running backs at the combine. His bench press of 23 reps would have tied for first, and his 10-foot, 8-inch broad jump would have tied for fifth.
Carter, 23, is competing against Carlos Washington Jr., Elijah Dotson, and Jashaun Corbin for Atlanta’s third running back position and a spot on the 53-man roster. Washington was the returning player, but he is currently dealing with a hamstring injury. Carter’s display on Friday night was the best performance by any running back in Falcons camp aside from Robinson or Allgeier.
«It’s significant,» Carter noted. «Not only for me, but really for the whole running back room to have that kind of footage available. … When I scored that touchdown, the first individuals I noticed were [Robinson and Allgeier] celebrating for me. And that’s significant because I look up to those players immensely.»
