Photo courtesy: Ottawa Redblacks
Ottawa Redblacks’ defensive lineman Daniel Okpoko was carted off the field in an ambulance after a scary injury during Friday night’s matchup with the Edmonton Elks.
The native of Saskatoon, Sask., was involved in a tackle on Edmonton quarterback Cody Fajardo with 2:40 remaining in the game, taking a minor blow to his head. After initially getting up, Okpoko appeared to indicate he required medical attention before collapsing.
Trainers from both teams rapidly attended to the second-year player and placed him on a spine board. After an extended delay, he was carted into the ambulance and taken to a local hospital.
Okpoko has appeared in 11 games this season, registering 10 defensive tackles and one sack. Originally selected with the 11th overall pick in the second round of the 2024 CFL Draft out of San Diego State University, he recorded five defensive tackles in 18 games as a rookie.
The Elks hung on to win the game 30-20, dropping the Redblacks to 3-8 on the season. This article will be updated as more information becomes available.