Ole Miss TE Damarcus Thomas Airlifted After Suffering Severe Injury

Lane Kiffin said on Monday that freshman tight end DaMarcus Thomas suffered a severe injury at practice that left briefly Thomas unresponsive.

© Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin said on Monday that freshman tight end Damarcus Thomas suffered a severe injury at practice on Monday that left him unresponsive and motionless for several minutes.

The school said in a statement that Thomas traveled by ambulance to a local Oxford hospital before being airlifted to Memphis Regional Medical Center. 

As of Monday afternoon at 3:30 p.m. ET, Thomas had regained movement in "all of his extremities, and the physicians are optimistic."

According to the Mississippi Clarion-Ledger, Kiffin said he had never seen an injury like this in his career in football.

Rebels running back Jerrion Ealy said the injury occurred on a "normal football play" that became a "freak accident." Kiffin added the injury occurred after Thomas was hit in practice.

"Please pray @OleMissFB," Kiffin tweeted.

"Obviously, I'll answer questions," Kiffin told reporters on Monday, per 247Sports. "I've got to do my job about the game, whatever it is, but nothing seems very important right now. He never moved and he hasn't. There's no feeling in his entire body. We've informed the family. I don't know. I don't know if I've seen anything as hard or like that, personally."

The Rebels' head coach later told reporters that Thomas did have some movement and feeling in his body prior to being placed on the helicopter. 

Thomas came to Oxford as a four-star prospect on Rivals and was listed Rivals' No. 13 overall recruit from the state of Alabama.

The freshman from Whatley, Ala., has played in five games this season with the Rebels but has yet to record any catches.