Washington Commanders linebacker Leo Chenal was injured in the game against the Seattle Seahawks Sunday afternoon. He has been ruled out for rest of the game with a neck injury, the Commanders confirmed.
Chenal took a massive hit while attempting a tackle on Emanuel Wilson in the second quarter, which left him injured. He lay on the field, surrounded by players from both teams. Those watching the broadcast were left worried as Chenal was treated inside the huddle. The NFL game was paused for minutes as the treatment went on.
Minutes after, he was carted off the field. However, he was moving his arms and legs and also showed a fist pump from the stretcher while being carted off.
Deep Dive
What injury did Leo Chenal sustain during the game against the Seahawks?
What is the significance of the 'fencing response' observed in some injuries?
Why was there concern for Leo Chenal after he was carted off the field?
The team has not provided any update on how serious Leo Chenal's injury is. Based on the fact that he was carted out, it seemed the linebacker has taken a hit to his head and neck area. Here's a video of the moment Leo Chanel was being carted off the field.
{{/usCountry}}The team has not provided any update on how serious Leo Chenal's injury is. Based on the fact that he was carted out, it seemed the linebacker has taken a hit to his head and neck area. Here's a video of the moment Leo Chanel was being carted off the field.
{{/usCountry}}Channel recorded three tackles before being carted off the field as the Commanders maintained a steady lead over the Seattle Seahawks going into the third quarter.
Doctors Explains Leo Chanel Injury
Adam Nessim, a doctor on X, formerly known as Twitter, said based on what they saw on the broadcast that Leo Chenel's injury could be serious.
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"Scary scene in the Commanders game. Leo Chenal made head-first contact on the tackle, which is the classic axial loading mechanism, meaning the force goes straight down through the crown of the helmet into the neck," Nessim wrote in a X post. “That is exactly how serious cervical spine injuries happen.”
"Moving his arms and legs is a really encouraging sign because it's a quick check that the spinal cord is sending signals through, but it's not a full all clear," San Antonio, Texas-based physical therapist Ribu Thomas explained on X. "A fencing response is when the arms stiffen for a moment right after a hit to the head, and it usually points toward a concussion, which puts him in the concussion protocol,"
Leo Chenal, in is debut season for the Washington Commanders, has played two games recording seven sacks.