After Morice Norris was injured on the field, both teams ended the game and prayed together. Billy Hallowell shares the lessons Christians can learn from this unexpected turn of events
An incredible moment of love, kindness, selflessness and goodness unfolded recently in the most unexpected of places: a football field.
While athletes are typically intent on winning above all else, the quest for glory was put on hold during a recent National Football League (NFL) preseason game between the Detroit Lions and the Atlanta Falcons.
In fact, a literal game-stopping moment took form when Lions cornerback Morice Norris was badly injured. Norris’ mask collided with a Falcon player’s knee and caused his head to snap back, leaving him in a clearly vulnerable position and in need of prompt medical care.
At first, some of his teammates and coaches gathered to pray on the field, quickly showing the event was quite serious. The prayer, alone, was inspiring, but the story didn’t end there.
Rather than continue the game, players from both teams continued to hit the pause button on the face-off and remarkably gathered together to keep praying for Norris after an ambulance came for him — and that prayer circle understandably went viral.
It’s not common to see teams pause a game and pray together, but that’s exactly what unfolded on the field, with images and videos of the players‘ heads bowed in unison captivating football fans across America.
Norris’ injury had unfolded early in the game’s fourth quarter when the Lions were beating the Falcons 17-10. There was still time in the game and the teams could have rushed back on the field and continued playing.
But their prayer huddle shifted the entire dynamic, with the players looking beyond football and grasping the gravity of the situation. Rather than play, they invoked God, hugged one another and the audience offered applause.
They then abruptly ended the game, allowing the score to stand.
Beyond a mere showing of good sportsmanship, the act of stopping was filled with compassion and goodwill. With that in mind, there are some significant lessons we can take away from this ordeal.
First and foremost, loving people matters. Jesus proclaimed that the most important commandments are to love God with all of our hearts and minds and to love others. Both NFL teams, without question, perfectly illustrated these sentiments.
They turned to prayer and halted a game for the love of another. Lions coach Dan Campbell perfectly summarised the reasons for the suspension in a post-game press conference.
“Morice Norris is a class act,” he said. “We agreed that it just didn’t feel right to finish that game.”
The teams clearly concluded that people matter more than anything else. It’s a common sense reality, but the thirst for winning can sometimes cloud judgement and lead people toward different conclusions. In this case, compassion won, offering us a blueprint to ponder if and when we face similar circumstances.
Second, prayer matters. Too often, we can allow panic and worry generated by a shocking moment to cause us to forget our need for God. In doing so, we ignore his everlasting power and ability to heal and make all things right.
Part of loving the Lord with all of our hearts and following Christ’s commands means immediately turning to him in the midst of uncertainty. Both teams did this, and the world saw their reliance in a powerful — and prayerful — display.
The third lesson worth taking away from Norris’ health ordeal is that good leadership matters and can set a powerful tone.
Both teams could have taken a different approach, but they made the choice not only to pray but to work with competitors toward a common goal. We don’t see enough of this in culture, particularly in environments where competition is meant to be the dominant posture.
As for Norris, he’s reportedly doing well and recovering. The NFL star posted an Instagram message last Monday reflecting on what unfolded and proclaimed that “God is truly amazing.”
In Norris’ caption, he offered us a fourth lesson: the importance of gratitude, both to God and others.
“Starting this journey I put my complete faith in him walked the path he has already pre-set for me without fear,” he wrote. ”I will forever be grateful for the trials and obstacles he places in front of me because I know I have nothing to fear.”
Norris also thanked those who prayed for him on both teams and expressed his excitement to soon get back on the field.
“God is with me,” he added.
This perspective, in light of his injury, offers a reminder to praise the Lord no matter what obstacles we face. We have no promise of an easy life free from turmoil and challenges, but we do have a pledge from God that he’ll offer us peace and sustenance.
And if we love God and others, seek him in prayer and a legitimate Christian walk and live with gratitude, we have every ingredient we need to receive his blessings.
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