Seahawks DE Darrell Taylor to return vs. Jaguars just 2 weeks after terrifying neck injury
Just two weeks after suffering a terrifying neck injury, Seattle Seahawks defensive end Darrell Taylor is ready to take the field.
Taylor, Seattle coach Pete Carroll said Friday, has been a full participant at practice all week and is expected to play Sunday against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
"He's really excited to play and had really an upbeat week," Carroll said, via ESPN. "He knows that he missed out last time and he wants to make up for it. So I just want him to play good and get a lot of plays, but it's great to have him back."
Late in the fourth quarter of Seattle’s overtime loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 6, the crown of Taylor’s helmet made contact with teammate Al Woods’ torso while he was trying to make a tackle. His head jerked back awkwardly, and he slowly rolled over onto his back as the play died down.
Taylor was stabilized on the field during a lengthy delay and had his facemask removed before being carted off the field and taken to a hospital. Carroll later said that Taylor was pleading with athletic trainers to let him walk off the field under his own power, but they refused.
Thankfully, Taylor’s MRI came back clear the following day.
So now, after a week of rest, Taylor is ready to play again as the potentially devastating injury has been avoided.
Taylor, 24, has 16 total tackles in six games so far this season, his first in the league after the Seahawks took him with the No. 48 overall pick in the draft.
Though Seattle has plenty of other injury issues — quarterback Russell Wilson is still sidelined with a finger injury — Taylor’s return will be a welcome sight for a Seahawks team on their worst losing streak since 2011.