Seahawks wide receiver Ricardo Lockette, an Albany, Ga., native, will undergo surgery to stabilize ligaments in his neck Monday, a day after being taken off the field on a backboard during Seattle's game at Dallas.
The Seahawks released a statement Monday morning that Lockette, who played college football at Fort Valley State University near Warner Robins, was to undergo surgery at Baylor University Medical Center in Dallas. The team said Lockette has full motion and feeling in all his extremities and a good prognosis.
Head coach Pete Carroll said on his radio show Monday on KIRO-AM in Seattle that Lockette's family was with him and the surgery was taking place sometime in the early afternoon. Carroll said Lockette's season is over and but he did not know if it was a potentially career-threatening injury.
Lockette posted a message on Twitter on Monday morning thanking fans, teammates and his family for their support and saying: "Can't wait (to) get back with my teammates in Seattle."
Lockette was injured when he was running down the field on punt coverage and appeared to be engaged with another Dallas Cowboys player before he turned and was hit by safety Jeff Heath. Lockette immediately slumped to the ground and appeared to be unconscious when trainers and medical officials got there to attend to him.
After Lockette was put on a stretcher and loaded onto a motorized cart several minutes later, the receiver's facemask had been removed from his helmet and he could be seen talking while moving both hands. He pointed his right hand toward his Seattle teammates on the sideline, and then thrust his index finger high into the air.
"I don't think I've ever been part of something that scary," Seattle quarterback Russell Wilson said after the game.
Heath was penalized for a blind-side hit, though replays showed that the contact was with the players facing each other and to the upper body.
"I just felt horrible when I found out how hurt he was," said Heath. "That wasn't my intention at all."
Lockette has been a special teams standout for the Seahawks since joining the team in 2011. He's also been part of Seattle's rotation of receivers. Lockette had four catches for 69 yards and a touchdown this season.
