The Los Angeles Chargers opened their game against the Kansas City Chiefs on Thursday Night Football with a couple injuries on offense to wide receiver Mike Williams and tight end Donald Parham. The latter was especially concerning after Parham went down attempting to come down with a touchdown catch in the back of the end zone early in the first quarter.
The Chargers had moved quickly down the field on the opening drive of the game against the Chiefs defense after a 75 yard return by Andre Roberts. From there, Justin Herbert had a couple passes dropped in the end zone including one to Parham.
Parham was uncovered yet came down and hit his head on the turf and the results were immediately concerning. Parham looked as if he had a concussion and he wasn’t able to come out of it enough to come off the field under his own power. In fact, it required several minutes for the team’s medical staff to place him on a stretcher and remove him from the field.
Fortunately there seemed to be some level of movement in his extremities but the whole thing was difficult to watch.
https://twitter.com/sportingnews/status/1471658023080763392
Shortly after watching it, several fellow NFL colleagues took to Twitter to express their own concerns, positive hopes, and prayers. We join in with them knowing that the game is already physical enough, so we hope to hear good news about Parham in the coming hours.
https://twitter.com/superdj56/status/1471660570256588801
Scary scene on that field right now.
— Robert Griffin III (@RGIII) December 17, 2021
Players put their livelihood on the line every time they step in between those lines. Prayers up for Donald Parham
https://twitter.com/CrosbyMaxx/status/1471656266510397441
Prayers For Parham 🙏🏾
— Chris “Lockdown” Lammons (@Lammons_1) December 17, 2021
Man! Did they put turf over concrete??My goodness! https://t.co/BvOyqa13OT
— Dezman Moses (@DezmanM) December 17, 2021
When injuries like that occur, it’s hard to care about the game as a player. It is just a GAME.
— Dezman Moses (@DezmanM) December 17, 2021
Please lord cover him
— The Cookie Expert (@JeffAllen71) December 17, 2021
Several members of NFL media also weighed in with their own prayers and concerns for Parham after seeing the injury.
🙏 for Donald Parham
— Field Yates (@FieldYates) December 17, 2021
Facemask off, backboard out for Donald Parham after he appeared to knock himself out trying to make a fourth down catch.
— Will Brinson (@WillBrinson) December 17, 2021
Extremely scary sight
Man. That wasn’t the visual we all wanted as Donald Parham was moved off the field on a stretcher. That was tough to watch.
— James Palmer (@JamesPalmerTV) December 17, 2021
I got nothing after watching what Chargers TE Donald Parham just went through. Wow.
— Kevin Seifert (@SeifertESPN) December 17, 2021
Ugh, way too many backboard injuries this season. Football is a brutal sport. Prayers out to Donald Parham
— Ben Volin (@BenVolin) December 17, 2021
We join in with offering up our own concerns and prayers for Parham. Here’s hoping we hear positive news soon enough, even before the game is over.