Former Deacons star suffers injury to neck

By: JournalNow Staff | THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published: December 05, 2009

GREEN BAY, Wis.

Outside linebacker Jeremy Thompson of the Green Bay Packers was hospitalized for testing yesterday after suffering a neck injury in a collision with running back Kregg Lumpkin during practice.

Coach Mike McCarthy said that Thompson remained conscious after the neck stinger. Thompson, a second-year player out of Wake Forest who plays primarily on special teams, missed the Packers' first two preseason games because of a shoulder stinger earlier this year.

McCarthy wouldn't say whether Thompson was able to move his extremities immediately after the incident, but Lumpkin said he could see Thompson moving his feet after the two collided on a play.

"I got the ball, I saw an open lane and I cut back, and that's when I saw Jeremy in the hole," Lumpkin said. "I didn't lower my head or anything, but his head hit my shoulder pad. When that happened, he just said, ‘Oh no.' And he fell on the ground. After that, I was just standing there (asking), ‘What really just happened?'

"I just was hoping he'd get back up, and he didn't."

Lumpkin, a member of the Packers' practice squad, was visibly shaken up by the incident.

Thompson has been getting more snaps on defense in the wake of a season-ending knee injury to Aaron Kampman.

With Matthews starting on the right side, rookie Brad Jones has played the majority of snaps in Kampman's place on the left side, but Thompson and Brady Poppinga have been playing as well.