November 5, 2026, 6:45 a.m. ET
By all available accounts, Detroit Lions linebacker Jack Campbell avoided the worst following a serious neck injury that required him to be immobilized while being loaded onto a stretcher and transported to a local hospital during a game against the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday, November 1.
The good news came from Campbell himself, with the 2025 All-Pro releasing a statement on Nov. 4 saying he had “full movement” in his lower body and was making progress toward regaining movement in his upper body. He also thanked his medical team at Henry Ford Hospital as well as the Lions medical staff.
“I am incredibly encouraged by the progress I have made in such a short time,” Jack Campbell said in the release.
Head coach Dan Campbell told reporters that everyone’s positive thoughts, wishes and prayers are working. But the Campbells (no relation) aren’t the only ones with a positive attitude.
Medical experts interviewed by USA TODAY Sports agree that the information available on Campbell’s recovery can only be described as good news – while providing a window into why the linebacker might have regained movement in his lower body before his upper body.
Dr. Darryl Lau, a neurosurgeon at NYU Langone’s Spine Center, where he is director of spinal neurosurgery research, said the spinal cord appears intact, based on public updates. Although Lau hasn’t seen Campbell’s medical information, he said the fact that his arms and legs are moving is another optimistic factor.
“And it’s only a few days away, so these are all positive things,” Lau told USA TODAY Sports, adding that Campbell being a young professional athlete gives him a better chance of recovering than the average person.
The injury occurred due to Campbell’s head and neck hyperextending when he collided with the left hip of Minnesota Vikings tight end TJ Hockenson. This hyperextension can “ring” the spinal cord, according to Dr. Betsy Grunch, a Georgia-based neurosurgeon with more than 1.3 million followers for her Instagram account “@ladyspinedoc.”
Grunch said a blow like this could damage the central part of the spinal cord and cause swelling that asymmetrically affects the arms more than the legs, as Campbell’s statement describes. Both doctors said the result was a rare injury called “central cord syndrome.”
“Typically, (patients) may even have full function in the legs and even greater motor loss in the arms,” Grunch told USA TODAY Sports.
What is central cord syndrome?
Central cord syndrome “looks like a pretty serious spinal cord injury” and can certainly be serious, Lau said. In some cases, Grunch said, it can be extremely painful, with arms and hands becoming sensitive to touch. The patient’s grip is considerably reduced. This is common in people with spinal injuries who fall forward and land on their forehead and extend backward, similar to the action exhibited by Campbell’s head and neck upon impact.
“I think it’s great news (if it’s central cord syndrome) because it’s an incomplete spinal cord injury,” Grunch said, “and if he’s already recovering as quickly as expected, then it’s entirely possible he could make a full recovery.”
The central part of the spinal cord contains the nerve fibers that carry out the function of the arm, Lau said. The functional fibers in the legs are found more on the outside of the spine, Grunch explained, “which is strange, but it’s a pretty classic presentation of this type of spinal cord injury,” she said.
Another explanation, according to Lau, is that Campbell suffered spinal shock – sudden trauma that is suppressed in the spinal cord. The inflammation resolves on its own and the paralysis disappears. Patients usually recover within a day or two, Lau said.
“It’s almost like a stinger,” Lau said.
“Or,” Lau added, “he has central cord syndrome.”
A “long” convalescence awaits Jack Campbell
Lau said it’s important to distinguish between a spinal fracture — “because we could fix those problems” — and a nerve injury. The prognosis for being able to return to play or even regular activities is very different in the two scenarios.
In crowning, spear tackles are dangerous because the head is pointed directly toward impact and all the force goes straight down the spine, whereas in the back position, the spine can help a person lean back or forward, Grunch said. Lau also noted that there does not have to be a high-energy collision to result in a serious spinal injury.
“If the body is in a very uncomfortable position and is very vulnerable, even low-impact forces can cause pretty significant injury,” said Lau, who added that because Campbell’s mask was looking up and not down at the ground, he likely avoided a worse outcome.
Returning to the field will nevertheless be a colossal undertaking.
Without looking at the MRI and other images, Lau said, it’s difficult to predict a recovery timetable.
“Moving his legs with full force is very different from being able to run or walk,” he said, adding: “You can even do leg exercises, but his balance can be completely off balance. So it’s going to be a long recovery for him.”
A key unanswered question at the moment is whether Campbell underwent surgery to aid his recovery.
“The fact of a full recovery (of potential) is really very inspiring, because on the ground it looked very worrying,” Grunch said. “Return to play? To be determined.”
Gn sports
