- Perris Jones was taken off the field on a stretcher after being hit in the helmet
- UVA confirmed that he underwent spinal surgery and was even able to walk on Saturday
- DailyMail.com provides all the latest international sports news
Virginia running back Perris Jones underwent successful spinal surgery Friday, hours after a terrifying head collision left him immobilized on the field in Louisville.
The terrifying scenes unfolded Thursday in the third quarter of the NCAA college football game between the two sides, when Jones took a hard blow to the helmet and immediately fell to the ground.
He received medical attention on the field and was wheeled away on a stretcher before being taken to hospital, where he now remains.
The team provided an update on his condition on Saturday afternoon, revealing that the young player underwent successful spinal surgery on Friday, which allowed him to ‘walk briefly’ on Saturday morning.
The full statement read: “Perris Jones underwent successful spine surgery Friday at UofL Medical Center. Today Perris was able to walk briefly.
Virginia running back Perris Jones (2) was injured in this head-to-head collision on Thursday
The game was stopped and players from both sidelines huddled around Jones as he was helped
“He remains under observation and will be transferred to the Frazier Rehabilitation Institute in Louisville for further care as his medical team deems appropriate.”
In the incident, Jones caught a seven-yard pass from Anthony Colandrea and began running onto the field when he fumbled after a hard hit to his helmet by Cam’Ron Kelly with several other Cardinals nearby.
Malik Washington picked up the ball near the right sideline and raced down the field for the go-ahead touchdown to make it 21-14.
Kelly said the play opened up for him to make the tackle and indicated Jones tried to go low and he did go low.
In a statement on Saturday, UVA confirmed that he underwent successful spinal surgery on Friday
Fans and players applauded Jones as the cart left the field and he was taken to UofL Hospital
“I’m just praying for him,” Kelly said. ‘I said my word to him when he was on the stretcher. I have nothing but love for him. I hope he recovers quickly.’
Spectators at L&N Stadium fell silent as medical personnel from Virginia and Louisville quickly rushed to treat Jones as he lay on the grass, and a cart quickly came onto the field.
Players from both teams knelt for about 15 minutes as Jones was treated and carefully lifted onto the board with his head wrapped between two pillows, and then onto the cart as the Cavaliers players gathered around him.
Fans and players applauded Jones as the cart left the field. He was taken to UofL Hospital for observation and coach Tony Elliott said after the game that Jones would get an MRI.
Cavaliers players and staff take a knee after the terrifying incident in Thursday night’s game
“We’re getting encouraging news, but I don’t want to say anything until we have it official,” Elliott said.
“It’s a very, very difficult reality of the sport we play, that any game can end like this, and you wouldn’t wish that on anyone. Man, I know one thing: (Perris Jones) is a tough young man and he puts it on the line every time he commits to this football team.
“(We) believe and pray that he will make a full recovery. I place that in the hands of the Lord and I ask for that in advance and believe that it will be the case.”
Louisville rallied to beat Virginia 31-24.