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Seattle Seahawks training camp is now underway, but there was one major absence at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center (VMAC).
Defensive lineman Malik McDowell, Seattle’s top choice in the 2017 NFL Draft, is currently at his home in Michigan after he was injured in a vehicular accident. The Seahawks sent out this official statement on Sunday.
Statement from a @Seahawks spokesperson: pic.twitter.com/N4W9p1WEd2
— Seattle Seahawks (@seahawksPR) July 30, 2017
Pete Carroll told reporters that the accident happened “a couple of weeks ago,” which falls right in line with one of McDowell’s most recent tweets, which was dated July 17th.
Just wanna thank the lord that I'm still here
— Malik McDowell (@MSU_LEEK4) July 17, 2017
When asked whether there’s a possibility McDowell doesn’t play this year, Carroll’s response was brief.
“We’ll see. I don’t know that [yet].”
Details at the moment are scarce, but a tweet from NFL reporter Mike Garofalo says that the “vehicular accident” occurred on an ATV, and that McDowell suffered head injuries.
Seahawks DL Malik McDowell was injured in an ATV accident, suffered a concussion and facial injuries, sources tell me and @JamesPalmerTV.
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) July 30, 2017
Russell Wilson also added that the team is all praying for him and that he doesn’t know too much about the situation.
Russell Wilson says #Seahawks "are praying" for rookie teammate Malik McDowell, further suggesting how serious vehicular accident was pic.twitter.com/73QVEJLgVS
— Gregg Bell (@gbellseattle) July 30, 2017
McDowell has been placed on the reserve/did not report list. All we can hope for is that his recovery goes as smoothly as possible.