Lions' Saivion Smith carted off field into ambulance

Lions cornerback Saivion Smith left the field in an ambulance early in the first quarter of Detroit’s game against the New England Patriots on Sunday in Foxborough, Mass.

The team said Smith was transported to a hospital with a neck injury.

Smith was hurt on the Lions’ first defensive stand of the game. He was attempting to cover tight end Hunter Henry but collapsed and fell to the ground.

#Lions Saivion Smith had to be taken off the field in an ambulance in Foxboro. It’s not really clear what happened on the replay. Didn’t appear to be a head injury but it’s hard to say. pic.twitter.com/bWpoAgytwr

— Charles Robinson (@CharlesRobinson) October 9, 2022

Trainers came out to tend to Smith, and then the ambulance drove onto the field shortly after. Paramedics put him onto a backboard and his family members came down from the stands to join him as he was taken to a hospital.

Lions CB Saivion Smith is being taken to a local hospital to be evaluated for a neck injury.

— Detroit Lions PR (@LionsPR) October 9, 2022

Smith, 24, entered the game with one tackle on the season. Sunday’s contest was his first career start.