FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — When DeShon Elliott saw an ambulance drive onto the field at Gillette Stadium, a shot of fear ran through his body.
Detroit Lions safety Saivion Smith was knocked unconscious in the first quarter of Sunday’s 29-0 loss to the New England Patriots when he collided with Patriots tight end Hunter Henry.
Smith lay motionless on the ground as players, coaches and personnel from both teams gathered around him near the Patriots’ 40-yard line. One Patriots player immediately took a knee on the far side of the field, and a trainer rushed onto the field with a backboard.
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“When the cart came out and he wasn’t moving, I was scared,” Elliott said. “Like, ‘Dang, what’s going on?’ Hopefully he’s OK. Just it’s the game of football. I seen a thing that Joe Burrow said a couple days ago, just like, when you play this game, things are going to happen. You just hope it’s not you. We got to keep going. I’m sure he’s going to battle back and be better when he gets better.”
Smith was taken by ambulance to a local hospital where he was evaluated for a neck injury. He was released Sunday with movement in all his extremeties and traveled home with the team.
The 24-year-old defensive back made his first start with the Lions on Sunday, in place of Elliott, a day after he was elevated to the gameday roster from the practice squad.
He made a tackle on the Patriots’ first offensive play, then appeared to hit his head one snap later when he tried to jam Henry at the line of scrimmage.
Smith’s father and uncle came onto the field as Smith was being strapped to the backboard, and his father joined him on the ambulance ride to the hospital.
“Everybody was concerned about Saivion,” Lions coach Dan Campbell said after the game. “So yeah, I mean, there was a sigh of relief (when we learned he was OK).”
The Lions played their worst all-around game of the season Sunday, committing two turnovers, allowing 176 yards rushing and failing to score a point for the first time all year.
As deflating as Smith’s injury was, Campbell said it did not contribute to his team’s poor play.
“I don’t believe that,” Campbell said. “Just because, I mean, they see it, too. Even though it’s not their teammate, there’s a stop in the game. They’re all looking at it. I think it’s — I don’t think it affects either side, in my opinion. I mean, it’s certainly not — it’s nothing you want to see. I mean, you don’t. That’s the worst. But I don’t think it affected us like that.”
Elliott had 12 tackles, including three for loss, and an interception after he replaced Smith.
“I just hope my guy’s OK,” Elliott said. “They told me he was moving, he’s responsive, I just want him to get better. I don’t ever want to see a guy go down, especially on our team. One of my friends. So hopefully he gets better.”