Ole Miss freshman DaMarcus Thomas airlifted to hospital after suffering injury at practice
6:16 p.m. UPDATE: Prayers have been answered as Asst. Athletic Director for Sports Medicine Pat Jernigan issued this statement:
“DaMarcus is doing well. All of his medical tests came back normal, and he is being released from the hospital. Our physicians will be following up with him in the coming days for further evaluation.“
Asst. A.D. for Sports Medicine Pat Jernigan
3:30 p.m. UPDATE: Monday afternoon, Ole Miss athletics tweeted an update from Assistant Athletics Director of Sports Medicine Pat Jernigan:
“Following the injury at practice this morning, Damarcus traveled by ambulance to Baptist Memorial Hospital in Oxford and was airlifted from there to Memphis Regional Medical Center. Evaulations have all been positive to this point. He has regained movement in all of his extremities, and the physicians are optimistic.“
UPDATE (3:30 p.m.): Positive news on Damarcus. 🙏 More updates to come. pic.twitter.com/pcp59UEyxA
— Ole Miss Football (@OleMissFB) November 2, 2020
OXFORD, Miss. — Ole Miss freshman tight end DaMarcus Thomas suffered a serious injury in Monday morning’s practice and was taken via helicopter to a hospital. Thomas was motionless and without feeling anywhere in his body, according to head coach Lane Kiffin who told media via Zoom.
After Kiffin’s press conference was over, he returned briefly to update media that Thomas had regained some movement and feeling before he was airflighted; however, Kiffin was not sure the extent of the young man’s injury.
UPDATE from Coach Kiffin: "Before he was taken away, DaMarcus did have some movement and has some feeling in his body. Great news, but I don't know what that means exactly. (But it's) great news compared to 20 minutes ago."
PLEASE CONTINUE TO PRAY FOR DAMARCUS THOMAS!
— The Rebel Walk (@TheRebelWalk) November 2, 2020
A visibly shaken Kiffin said he has never seen an injury like this in his years of football. Immediately following the injury, an ambulance was called but upon its arrival, the decision was made to have him taken by helicopter, instead.
“They keep touching him, going ‘Do you feel this? Do you feel this?’ He keeps saying no,” Kiffin said.
“And you’re thinking about your own kid. I don’t know. That’s the first time I’d seen something where I just called (Kiffin’s son) Knox’s mom and said I couldn’t care less whether he ever plays football after seeing that.”
Before the press conference was understandably cut short, a shaken running back Jerrion Ealy spoke to reporters and expressed his concern for Thomas.
Jerrion on DaMarcus Thomas' injury today in practice: We are all praying for him (DaMarcus). We are all just in shock. Can't say too much about it — just shocked. One of those freak accidents you hear about but don't usually see. #PrayForDamarcus
— The Rebel Walk (@TheRebelWalk) November 2, 2020
Thomas is a freshman from Saraland High School in Whatley, Alabama. He has played in five of the Rebels’ six games this season.
We will update you as more information becomes available.
Evelyn Van Pelt
Evelyn has covered sports for over two decades, beginning her journalism career as a sports writer for a newspaper in Austin, Texas. She attended Texas A&M and majored in English. Evelyn's love for Ole Miss began when her daughter Katie attended the university on a volleyball scholarship. Evelyn created the Rebel Walk in 2013 and has served as publisher and managing editor since its inception.
