Seahawks wide receiver Ricardo Lockette says he could have died on the field after November neck injury

Updated
Seahawks' Lockette in High Spirits Day After Suffering Serious Neck Injury
Seahawks' Lockette in High Spirits Day After Suffering Serious Neck Injury



In a game against the Cowboys last November, Seahawks receiver Ricardo Lockette suffered a scary neck injury while on punt coverage that required him to be taken off the field on a stretcher. A hit by Dallas's Jeff Heath left Lockette with a concussion, as well as disk and ligament damage in his neck that required surgery. More than four months later, he continues to wear a neck brace. But during a recent visit with firefighters and paramedics in Redmond, Washington, Lockette said things could have been far worse.

Via ESPN:

"[The doctors] said if I would have stood up then, the weight of my head -- left, right, front, back -- I would have died," Lockette said. "If one of my teammates would have came over and pulled my arm, just barely, I might have died. Or if the returner at the time would have broke a couple tackles, and they would have rolled and fell on me, I would have died on that field. But what saved my life was the trainers, the work that you guys do."

Here's the hit that injured Lockette:

Lockette, 29, missed the remainder of the 2015 schedule but expects to play next season.

See more from Lockette's career:

More from Daily Intelligencer:
A Huge Gas Explosion in Seattle Flattened Buildings and Injured 9 Firefighters
Police Say Shooting of Oregon Militiaman LaVoy Finicum Was Justified
Sanders Beats Clinton in Big Michigan Primary Upset

Advertisement