In a scary scene at Gillette Stadium on Saturday, Philadelphia Eagles running back Ja’Quinden Jackson lay motionless on the field following the opening kickoff against the New England Patriots. Medical personnel placed Jackson on a stretcher and took him away from the field in an ambulance.
The Eagles announced shortly after that Jackson had strength and movement in all of his extremities and was being taken to a local hospital for further evaluation.
Jackson’s agent, Damien Butler of CMV Sports, issued a statement regarding Jackson’s status:
“Tonight, above everything else, we thank God that Ja’Quinden is doing well after what was an incredibly frightening moment,” the statement read. “I just spoke with Ja’Quinden. He is awake, has full movement and use of all four limbs, and his CT scan came back negative.
“What happened tonight was frightening for everyone who witnessed it, and we are extremely grateful to the Philadelphia Eagles medical staff and all of the first responders who acted quickly and took great care of Ja’Quinden in those critical moments. We also sincerely appreciate all of the prayers, calls, messages and concern that have poured in for him tonight. With God’s continued blessings, Ja’Quinden looks forward to rejoining his teammates and getting back to work in training camp.”
The injury occurred on the opening kickoff, with the Eagles kicking to the Patriots. Jackson was part of Philadelphia’s kickoff team and was credited with the tackle on Patriots return man Lan Larison. It appeared that Larison’s knee hit Jackson’s head as the latter attempted to make the tackle. Jackson appeared to have an immediate fencing response, extending both of his arms.
As Jackson was being tended to, the Eagles sideline emptied onto the field to surround the running back. He eventually exited the field to cheers from the Foxborough crowd.
Jackson signed with the Eagles less than two weeks ago, after he was released by the Jacksonville Jaguars. He entered the league as an undrafted free agent in 2025, signing with the Jaguars following a collegiate career that included three stops.
He began his college career at the University of Texas in 2020, but did not appear in any games. He spent the next three seasons at Utah. After appearing in just three games in 2021, Jackson played in 12 games for the Utes in 2022 and 2023. He transferred to Arkansas for the 2024 season, where he tallied 149 rushes for 790 yards and a career-high 15 touchdowns.