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Pete Carroll: Darrell Taylor might play next week after frightening injury on 'Sunday Night Football'

Darrell Taylor suffered what appeared to be a significant injury against the Pittsburgh Steelers that left him motionless on the field for several minutes during Sunday night's game before he was transported to a local hospital. But Pete Carroll delivered good news on Monday.

The Seattle Seahawks head coach told reporters that the defensive end's MRI on Monday came back "clear," confirming the results of initial CT scans Sunday night. Per Carroll, that means Taylor didn't suffer a neck injury and that further evaluation could determine that he actually suffered a shoulder injury.

Carroll also said that there's a chance Taylor plays in Week 7 against the New Orleans Saints.

Pete Carroll updates Taylor's status

"He's not out of the woods of playing this week," Carroll said. "That's a thrilling response to what it looked like and everybody could have anticipated.

"We'll see how that goes. And he's got to have a good week to do that."

The thought of Taylor playing this coming weekend certainly isn't something most people who witnessed Sunday night's scene could have anticipated.

PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA - OCTOBER 17: Darrell Taylor #52 of the Seattle Seahawks is carted off the field after an injury during a game against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Heinz Field on October 17, 2021 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Sargent/Getty Images)
Darrell Taylor spent several minutes motionless on the field Sunday before being transported to a hospital.(Joe Sargent/Getty Images)

Frightening scene after head-first collision

Taylor collapsed late in the fourth quarter of Sunday's game after a collision with teammate Al Woods. He dove full force into a pile in an effort to tackle Steelers running back Najee Harris. He missed, and the crown of his helmet instead hit the torso of Woods, a 330-pound lineman. Taylor rolled over on his back after the collision and remained motionless as athletic trainers and medical staff tended to him.

Players from both teams stood around Taylor for several minutes, a span that required multiple commercial breaks during the "Sunday Night Football" broadcast. Medical staff stabilized his head and neck on a stretcher, and eventually loaded him into an ambulance, where he was transported to a local hospital's trauma center.

NBC's Michele Tafoya reported during the broadcast that Taylor was alert and had movement of all his extremities. Carroll told reporters after the game that initial CT scans were clear and that Taylor actually wanted to walk off the field, but was overruled by medical staff as they took precautions to protect his neck and spine. Now he says Taylor might play on Oct. 25 against New Orleans.

Regardless of his football status, the news of Taylor's test results is overwhelmingly positive considering Sunday night's scene.