Kendal Daniels rejoins Falcons after being carted off field with neck injury

ATLANTA -- Falcons rookie linebacker Kendal Daniels was able to leave an area hospital, return to the locker room and rejoin his teammates after what appeared to be a serious-looking injury led to him getting carted off the field during Atlanta's 31-23 loss to the Chicago Bears on Sunday.

With the Bears leading 21-7 with 8:48 left in the third quarter, Daniels dived in to tackle Colston Loveland after a Caleb Williams pass completion, and the linebacker's head appeared to collide with the tight end's left leg near the knee.

Daniels remained down on the field for some time as medical personnel tended to him. They stabilized his neck and body, then loaded him onto the cart in a gurney as Falcons players and coaches gathered around and wished him well.

The team said Daniels had movement in all of his extremities and was taken to Grady Memorial Hospital for further evaluation. Daniels then surprisingly was able to come back to Mercedes-Benz Stadium and was walking in the locker room under his own power after the game.

On the way off the field during the third quarter, Daniels made a fist with his left hand.

"He said, 'Y'all go finish this off,'" quarterback Michael Penix Jr . said. "He was in good spirits."

Added coach Kevin Stefanski: "Those are no fun for anybody. Players, coaches. You don't want to see anyone down like that. Kendal is a kid we all love, we all respect."

Daniels, a fourth-round draft pick out of Oklahoma, has been a starter since Week 1. He was wearing the green dot as the defensive playcaller at the time of the injury with Divine Deablo out with an arm injury. Linebacker Josh Woods took over the green dot with Daniels out.