Bucs' Gage in hospital for concussion, neck injury

TAMPA, Fla. — Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Russell Gage was taken off the field by stretcher late in the fourth quarter of the team’s 31-14 wild-card playoff loss to the Dallas Cowboys on Monday night.

Gage was injured when he stumbled on a route, went to the ground, couldn’t make the catch and took a hard shot to the neck from safety Donovan Wilson. Gage appeared to try to get up but couldn’t and slammed his hand into the grass in frustration.

On Tuesday, the Buccaneers said in a statement that Gage was kept in the hospital overnight for testing and observation after “suffering a neck injury and concussion.” They said he “has had movement in all extremities and will continue to undergo additional testing.”

Bucs coach Todd Bowles said Gage is expected to be released from the hospital later Tuesday, adding that his “neck is fine.”

Gage posted on social media Tuesday afternoon that he was “doing great and in great spirits.”

I appreciate all of the texts, calls, thoughts and prayers you all have expressed towards my family and I. I just wanted to let you all know that I’m doing great and in great spirits!

Thank you!🙏🏾

— Russell Gage Jr. (@GageRussell) January 17, 2023

Players from both teams took a knee and prayed while medical personnel attended to Gage. Tom Brady, who threw the pass to Gage, stood near the medical staff before the game resumed.

The play came two weeks after Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin collapsed, suffered cardiac arrest and needed to be resuscitated on the field during another prime-time Monday night game. He was discharged from a Buffalo area hospital last week.

“It was really tough — especially with what happened a couple weeks ago,” Bucs inside linebacker Lavonte David said. “Russ is a great dude off the field and a great guy on the field. We definitely hope he’s well. He was moving and stuff like that; that was a good sign. Definitely hope he’s OK.”

Tampa Bay tight end Cam Brate, who suffered a sprained neck in Week 6 and also left the field on a stretcher, added, “You hate to see a guy go down like that, especially with the game being kind of out of reach at that point. It’s really hard to see your teammate like that. We’re all thinking about Russ and hope he’s doing well. Yeah, it’s tough.”

ESPN’s Jenna Laine and The Associated Press contributed to this report.