Rutgers University Defensive Tackle Eric LeGrand Paralyzed After Play Gone Wrong

How sad! Rutgers University defensive tackle Eric LeGrand suffered a spinal cord injury that has left him with no movement below his neck. The native of Avenel, New Jersey suffered the paralyzing injury while making a tackle on a kickoff late in the fourth quarter of Rutgers’ 23-20 win against Army on Saturday.

“Eric, his family and the Rutgers Football family believe he will recover,” says Rutgers Head Coach Greg Schiano. “We ask our fans and the entire Rutgers community to believe and pray for Eric as he begins the recovery process.”

LeGrand, a 6-foot-2-in, 275-pound junior for the Scarlet Knights, remains hospitalized in intensive care at Hackensack University Medical Center.

LeGrand’s field injury is the second wave of tragedy to hit the Rutgers campus in less than a month. Earlier this fall, Rutgers freshman Tyler Clementi jumped off the George Washington Bridge to his death after his roommate recorded him having sex with another man and leaked the footage to the Internet.