Chargers’ Donald Parham Jr. Leaves Field on Stretcher After End Zone Injury

The tight end appeared to hit his head on the ground on a first-quarter play.

Chargers tight end Donald Parham Jr. was injured in the end zone during Thursday Night Football against the Chiefs, ultimately leaving the field on a stretcher. 

On fourth-and-goal in the first quarter, quarterback Justin Herbert threw a dart to the second-year tight end in the end zone. But it appeared that Parham hit his head on the ground while going down to make the catch and was unable to hold onto the ball. 

Medical personnel cut off Parham’s face mask before placing the tight end on a backboard carting him off the field on a stretcher. Parham was taken to a local hospital for further evaluation, per The Athletic’s Daniel Popper.

The Chargers tweeted later Thursday evening that Parham was in stable condition at UCLA Harbor Medical Center. He’s “undergoing tests, imaging and evaluation for a head injury.”

On Friday afternoon, the team issued an update, stating that after an overnight stay at UCLA, he was diagnosed with a concussion, and will likely be discharged from the hospital later on.