Packers’ Watson makes improbable ‘Thursday Night Football’ return after mid-game trip to hospital

Green Bay Packers wide receiver Christian Watson had himself a night to remember in the team’s 27-19 win over the Carolina Panthers on “Thursday Night Football.” The 27-year-old finished with a team-high eight receptions for 113 yards, got to welcome the Milwaukee Brewers to Lambeau Field following their first World Series title win 24 hours earlier, and completed a mid-game trip to the hospital. In the second quarter, Watson made a 53-yard catch that injured his chest when Panthers cornerback Will Lee III made a diving stop. Lee was also injured on the play and carted off the field with a hamstring injury. Lee, a rookie fourth-round pick, did not return to the game. Watson was taken out of the stadium by ambulance to a local hospital for reported “precautionary reasons” before returning via ambulance and being greeted by a raucous ovation from the Lambeau faithful after the Packers extended their lead to 27-10 in the third quarter. The 2022 second-round pick out of North Dakota State returned to the game, where he had two more receptions as the Packers were able to fend off a late comeback attempt by Carolina. After the game, Watson acknowledged that the experience was “tough” and expressed his thoughts on going to the hospital. “It was tough. Honestly, I never wanted to go,” Watson told the Prime broadcast. “I was hoping that they would let me off. I said I was kinda feeling better once I kinda caught my breath. But I mean, they said there was a couple of signs that made them have to take me over there. “It is what it is. I was just praying that it was good enough to where I could come back out here. Obviously, thankfully it was and I was able to get back out.” Watson explained what happened after he got to the hospital, where doctors had to rule out internal bleeding. “No internal bleeding. No anything that was raising suspicion,” Watson said when describing what the tests had revealed. “Because I was spitting a little blood at first, so they just wanted to make sure there was nothing crazy.” Watson later said he had a broken rib and compared the ordeal to watching World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) as a kid. The fifth-year pro added he was “feeling good” and expressed his appreciation to the Packers crowd for their reaction to his return. “It was surreal running out and just hearing the fans having my back like that,” Watson said. “It’s tough any time that you have to go off the field or you think you’re injured, or you’re going down with something. So, just to come back out here and get that kind of response from the fans was incredible.” With the win, the Packers improved to 5-3 on the season and will next face the New England Patriots on the road on November 8. The Panthers fell to 3-4 and will host the Denver Broncos on November 8.