Carolina Panthers rookie guard Chandler Zavala left the team’s game against the Detroit Lions on Sunday following a worrisome neck injury.
The fourth-round selection from the 2023 NFL Draft injured his neck on a play and laid motionless on the field for a few minutes as other players formed a prayer circle.
Zavala was subsequently carted off and gave fans a thumbs-up as he exited the field in obvious visible pain.
Zavala was taken to a nearby hospital following the collision and was ruled out for the remainder of the contest.
A Panthers spokesperson said that Zavala had feeling in all his lower extremities and would remain at a Detroit hospital for further evaluation.
Zavala played college football at Division II Fairmont State from 2017-2020 before transferring to North Carolina State, where he spent the 2021 and 2022 seasons.
Zavala was an All-ACC First-Team selection in 2022, and a two-time All-Mountain East Conference honoree in 2018 and 2019.