ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. -- New Orleans Saints special-teamer Daniel Lasco was driven off the field in an ambulance Sunday after he was injured making a headfirst tackle on a kickoff return.
Lasco, whose head and body were strapped down to a board to restrict movement, raised his hand for a slight wave as he was being lifted onto the ambulance.
He was transported to the hospital with a spine injury, according to the Saints, who said Lasco had feeling in his extremities.
Saints team doctor Michael Hartman was attending to him at the hospital, the team said. Lasco later re-joined the team for its scheduled flight home to New Orleans.
After the Saints' 47-10 win over the Buffalo Bills, coach Sean Payton said Lasco was showing positive signs.
"I think all the signs are positive, his movement and everything. I think that's encouraging," Payton said.
The ambulance and stretcher were brought onto the field almost immediately after trainers and doctors began tending to Lasco, who was lying still on the ground after making the tackle. It was unclear how much he was able to move on the field since he was surrounded by many of his teammates as well as the medical staff.
Rookie running back Trey Edmunds told NOLA.com that Lasco encouraged the Saints.
"He told us to finish strong and go out there and do what we do," Edmunds said. "I'm sure when he sees the results of this game he'll be happy."
A second-year running back from Cal, Lasco was drafted in the seventh round in 2016 and has spent most of the past two seasons with the Saints as a special-teams coverage specialist.
