A scary moment unfolded at the San Francisco 49ers practice on Sunday, July 27 as defensive lineman Tarron Jackson collapsed on the field.
The incident happened toward the end of the practice, NBC Sports Bay Area reported. Jackson was blocked during an 11-on-11 play and then suddenly collapsed. Trainers came to Jackson’s aid quickly and were with him on the field for a few minutes before he was taken off the field on a stretcher and taken to a hospital for medical evaluation.
Head coach Kyle Shanahan said he didn’t see what happened on the play and it’s ‘always scary’ to see someone get taken out on a stretcher. But he got a positive sign from Jackson after practice concluded.
‘He is conscious, inside communicating with us, can feel all his extremities, and they’re taking him down to Stanford now just for further testing,’ Shanahan said. ‘Hopefully, we cleared the real scary stuff, and hopefully we’ll get some good news on his neck.”
The 49ers coach added that they could hear Jackson talking and moving while he was being assisted on the field, which helped the team relax and finish practice in what was a tense situation. It was a non-padded practice that took place.
Cornerback Deommodore Lenoir said it’s hard to see a fellow defensive player go down like that and ‘you kind of like put yourself there.’
‘We’re praying for him, and we hope everything’s going to be all right and he gets back to us safe and sound,’ Lenior said.
A sixth-round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft by the Philadelphia Eagles, Jackson has appeared in 24 games and registered 17 tackles, one sack and one forced fumble in his career. The former Coastal Carolina player played in three games with the Carolina Panthers in 2024 before he was waived.
Jackson signed with San Francisco in January to the team’s practice squad. Jackson is competing for a roster spot for the 2025 season.