New York Jets offensive lineman Xavier Newman-Johnson was carted off the field with a serious neck injury midway through the third quarter of the Jets’ road game against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday night.
Newman-Johnson was taken to a nearby hospital and had movement in his limbs, according to NBC.
Newman-Johnson was hurt on an interception return when Pittsburgh’s Patrick Queen blocked him. He tumbled down to the ground near the sideline and then was unable to move.
He was attended to for several minutes and was strapped to a spine board and taken off via stretcher with 7:22 left in the quarter.
Newman-Johnson, 25, was playing in his seventh game of the season and 18th of his three-year career.
He originally was an undrafted free agent out of Baylor in 2022 and signed with the Tennessee Titans. Newman was released by the Titans in October 2023 and subsequently signed to the Jets’ practice squad.