Los Angeles Chargers tight end Donald Parham Jr. is set to be released from the hospital later Friday after being diagnosed with a concussion, the team announced.
Parham was removed from Thursday night’s loss to the Kansas City Chiefs on a stretcher after he appeared to lose consciousness when his head slammed the ground while he was trying to catch a pass in the first quarter. The Chargers said Friday that Parham was resting comfortably and alert at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center.
“It’s the tough side of pro sports,” Chargers coach Brandon Staley said after the 34-28, overtime loss. “Any time you see that live and are close to it, it impacts you. But then at the same time, you know, we’re trying to play for him the rest of the way, and that’s what our guys did tonight. They laid it on the line and played a whale of a game for him.”
Parham, in his second year with Los Angeles, got his hands on a 5-yard pass from Justin Herbert in the back of the end zone on fourth-and-goal but dropped the ball when his head hit the ground. A camera zoomed on his face showed his eyes closed and his mouth open.
A teammate briefly tried to move Parham’s left arm, but it was frozen in a bent position. Trainers and medical personnel removed Parham’s face mask from his helmet and placed him on a backboard. The 24-year-old’s arms were shaking as he was wheeled off while concerned players from both teams watched.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.