Kevin Stefanski: ‘All positive news’ on Falcons rookie linebacker Kendal Daniels after he was carted off against the Bears
FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — Head coach Kevin Stefanski said Monday that initial testing on rookie linebacker Kendal Daniels was “all positive” after Daniels was carted off during the third quarter of Sunday’s game against the Chicago Bears. Daniels was taken to Grady Memorial Hospital for further evaluation. He returned to Mercedes-Benz Stadium after the game and was briefly seen walking through the locker room with trainers nearby.
Midway through the third quarter, Daniels knifed through a pair of Bears offensive linemen on a screen play and made a diving tackle on the ball carrier. Falcons trainers attended him on the sideline, teammates gathered and trainers carted him off on a stretcher. The sequence drew immediate medical attention and led to his hospital transport.
Stefanski called the early test results encouraging and said Daniels was back in the building Monday. “All positive news on Kendal Daniels,” Stefanski said. He added that it remained too soon to determine Daniels’ status for Sunday’s game against the San Francisco 49ers as the team continues imaging and further testing.
The fourth-round pick and former college safety has been a standout defender in his first NFL season. Among first-year linebackers, Daniels ranks fourth with 22 solo tackles and is tied for third with three tackles for loss, the Falcons said. Defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich has praised Daniels’ ability to learn multiple roles early in his career. Daniels has shown a knack for tracking down screen passes and disrupting them before they can develop.
NFL Sports Blog Take
Kendal Daniels has emerged as a productive rookie presence on the Falcons’ defense, and Monday’s positive initial testing is encouraging for Atlanta. The team will rely on imaging and follow-up exams to establish his availability for the upcoming game against the San Francisco 49ers. Losing a player who ranks among first-year leaders in solo tackles and tackles for loss would affect the Falcons’ depth and versatility, so Atlanta must prepare defensive rotation plans should Daniels miss time.