A week ago, Nathan Carter faced a terrifying situation. The Falcons‘ rookie running back was involved in a hit that briefly hospitalized a Lions defender, and led to the cancellation of the rest of the game. Fast forward to Friday, and he made a big impact on the field for his team, with nine carries for 63 yards and a touchdown (plus two catches for nine yards).
“He plays with a fierce running style,” Falcons head coach Raheem Morris said in his post-game press conference. “He’s hard to get down on the ground, he showed it a couple times tonight. He carries the ball…we’re really fired up to have him. He runs really tough, he’s a hard tackle — there’s no doubt about that.”
Morris continued: “Yeah I was right there with him,” he said in reference to the immediate aftermath of the injury the previous week. “When he was on a knee, I think I had my hand on his shoulder. He was able to see that stuff, and obviously you never want to see those things happen. You gotta be there to console your guys, when they do happen, to make sure he’s okay, and he wants to make sure the guy he hurt is also okay.”
Nathan Carter Handled the Situation Like a Pro
Todd Kirkland/GettyATLANTA, GEORGIA – AUGUST 15: Nathan Carter #38 of the Atlanta Falcons is tackled by Cedric Gray #51 of the Tennessee Titans during the first half of the NFL Preseason 2025 game between Tennessee Titans and Atlanta Falcons at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on August 15, 2025 in Atlanta, United States. (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images)
The injury to Lions safety Morice Norris on August 8th was scary to watch. Carter attempted hurdle Norris on a carry in the fourth quarter, and his knee connected with Norris’ helmet, causing Norris’ head to snap back. Norris was down on the field for about 20 minutes before an ambulance arrived to take him to a local hospital. Players from both teams were huddled around Norris and the medical staff during this time, and the coaches agreed to end the game early.
During the week, Carter reached out to Norris directly via Instagram, according to an ESPN report. He said he wanted to check in on him, make sure he was doing well. Carter said Norris was in “high spirits” when they spoke, which is always a good thing to hear.
Norris was alert, moving, and talking in the hospital the night of the injury. Lions head coach Dan Campbell confirmed to reporters that Norris has rejoined the team and is in the concussion protocol.
Can Nathan Carter Make the Falcons’ Final Roster?
Bijan Robinson and Tyler Allgeier are the unquestioned top two running backs in Atlanta. But behind them, Carter is battling Carlos Washington Jr. for the third back role on the depth chart.
“To see [Carter] break out today versus another tough look,” Morris said in his presser. “…he was able to get out of there, break the line of scrimmage and show his speed. He’s one of those young players who’s fighting for a spot on this roster. He shows up every week and shows us why he should be on it.”
Roster cutdown day is just a week away, but Carter seems to have made a good impression as we get closer.
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