Falcons rookie Kendal Daniels carted off with neck injury against Bears

Atlanta Falcons rookie linebacker Kendal Daniels was removed from the field on a cart during Sunday’s matchup against the Chicago Bears after sustaining a concerning neck injury. The incident occurred midway through the third quarter, forcing a lengthy stoppage in play as medical staff attended to the defender on the turf.

The collision took place with 8:48 remaining in the third quarter while the Bears held a 21-7 lead. Following a pass completion from Chicago quarterback Caleb Williams to tight end Colston Loveland, Daniels attempted to make a tackle. During the play, Daniels dived toward the receiver, and his head appeared to make contact with Loveland’s left leg near the knee area.

The scene drew significant concern from both sidelines, with Falcons players and coaching staff gathering around the area to offer support as he was moved. Daniels, a fourth-round draft selection out of Oklahoma, has been a consistent presence for Atlanta, having started every game since the beginning of the season.

At the time of the injury, Daniels was serving as the team's defensive play-caller, designated by the green dot on his helmet. He had assumed those responsibilities due to the absence of Divine Deablo, who was sidelined with an arm injury. Following Daniels' departure, linebacker Josh Woods took over the duties of relaying defensive signals for the remainder of the contest.