In the middle of 2015, Ricardo Lockette was part of a terrifying hit on the football field, getting crushed on a kick return while the Seahawks were playing the Cowboys. Lockette was stabilized and carted off but the hit was more dangerous than anyone knew.
Ricardo Lockette was drilled and appears to be out cold, hope he's ok pic.twitter.com/C5zdBzzwFX
— The Cauldron (@TheCauldron) November 1, 2015
According to Lockette, he "almost died" on the field that day.
The Seahawks wideout, who underwent neck surgery and missed the rest of the season, visited a Redmond, Wash., fire station recently and told them how thankful he was for the help the trainers gave him and how close he was to dying.
"I didn’t realize how serious it was until it was over," Lockette said. "The doctor told me pretty much my skull, all the muscles, all the ligaments that connect my vertebrae. If I would have stood up then, the weight of my head, left right, front back, I would have died.
"If one of my teammates had come over and pulled my arm just barely, I might have died.
"If the returner at the time would have broken a couple tackles and they would have fell on me on the field I would have died."
Ricardo Lockett visited Redmond Fire Station 11 today and expressed the importance of teamwork and the great work his trainers exhibited when they saved his life on the football field in Dallas after that horrible hit during that game. He shared that the expertise and education learned by the EMS community was passed to the trainers years ago...who learned how to backboard and protect cervical spines during these traumatic events and this is why he is alive today... Ricardo Lockett is living proof that training, dedication and education are the components that make us better at our job.
Posted by Redmond Professional Firefighters and Paramedics IAFF Local 2829 on Friday, March 4, 2016
Lockette added "what saved his life" was the trainers and the work you guys do" -- their knowledge of his injury and how to help Lockette through stabilization and patience with handling his neck injury made a difference that day.

It's scary to think about just what a fine line Lockette -- and any NFL player -- walks when it comes to the dangerous physical nature of the game they play.
"I thank God that I’m here and I thank you guys for the work that you do."