The Detroit Lions survived a close one in Week 8. The Minnesota Vikings' defense was absolutely brutal, keeping Jared Goff under duress from start to finish and making them fight hard for every single yard.
The Lions also caught some tough breaks on the other side of the field. The defense was pretty banged up at the end of the game, and there are legitimate reasons to be concerned about star linebacker Jack Campbell.
The Lions' veteran was down and couldn't move after taking a big hit to the neck, and he had to be stretched off the field. Unfortunately, other than saying that they are thinking about him, coach Dan Campbell didn't provide much of an update.
Jack Campbell's injury is a concern for the Lions
At least, Campbell confirmed that the other injuries are not considered to be serious. Campbell will undergo further testing, but other injured players may not be out for long, according to team insider Nolan Bianchi:
"Dan Campbell says that he doesn't think any of the non-Jack Campbell injuries are anything long-term, but can't say those guys won't have to miss a game or two and maybe more," Bianchi shared on X.
Of course, that doesn't mean they will all be back next week. Brian Branch and D.J. Wonnum both suffered concussions in the win, so they will have to clear protocol before being cleared to suit up for the road date with the Miami Dolphins.
As for Campbell, things might be much more serious. It was an eerily similar situation to the one Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah suffered a couple of seasons ago, and he hasn't been able to return to play since.
Granted, it's still way too early to speculate, and it would be irresponsible to say anything before an official diagnosis and evaluation, but it didn't look good. He's an instrumental part of Kelvin Sheppard's defense, a vocal leader on and off the field, and a high-volume tackling machine.
Nevertheless, this isn't even about football or sports at this point, nor about the big-money contract extension the Lions gave him in the offseason. This is about his long-term well-being and his life after football.
Hopefully, this will only be a scare and a blip on the radar. Let's hope this isn't anything serious or a career- or life-threatening injury. No game is worth that type of hassle; unfortunately, it wouldn't be the first time something like this has happened.
In the meantime, the Lions must be with him and let him know that they'll be there for him through this, just like he's been there for them every single Sunday since he entered the league as a first-round pick in 2023.
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