This new Donald Parham Jr. injury update reveals just how scary the moment was

Chargers tight end Donald Parham Jr. reveals a positive update regarding his health as NFL fans recall the frightening moment when Parham Jr. was injured. 

The Chargers lost to the Chiefs on Thursday night in overtime, a disappointment considering Los Angeles had several occasions to clinch the win with a field goal instead of attempting passes on fourth down.

On one such occasion, the Chargers could have avoided a dangerous injury that was difficult to watch on prime time.

In the first quarter, Justin Herbert targeted Donald Parham Jr. for a touchdown in the endzone. Parham Jr. caught the ball, but it bounced out of his hands before he could maintain possession and it could be considered a catch. The ball fell, and so did Parham Jr., his head slamming into the grass.

Cameras zoomed in as Parham Jr. seemed to express frustration over the drop, then his arms froze. Parham Jr. had his bent arms suspended in mid-air in front of him as he appeared unconscious. Medical personnel rushed to the field, eventually escorting him away.

On Friday, Ian Rapoport shared an uplifting update on the Chargers tight end, saying that Parham Jr. was diagnosed with a concussion but is now “comfortable and alert.”

Parham Jr. will be sent home today, which is good news when it was unclear Thursday night just how serious Parham Jr.’s injury could be.

Donald Parham Jr. was discharged from hospital on Friday as “comfortable and alert”

At the time, no one could tell exactly what happened to Parham Jr. or how severe his injury was.

Joe Buck appeared to make light of Parham Jr.’s injury — which was clearly a result of some kind of physical trauma — by inferring that it could have possibly been from wind chill.

While the NFL proclaims that they have improved safety standards to reduce brain trauma, the reality is that football players are still at significant risk for severe brain and spinal injuries. Concussions take a toll over time, which contributed to the deaths of former players like Junior Seau, Vincent Jackson, Phillip Adams and Aaron Hernandez. Ryan Shazier was nearly paralyzed from a hit in Dec. 2017, which made Parham Jr.’s on-field hit a frightening reminder of how dangerous the game can be.