During the Week 13 matchup between the Lions and Saints in New Orleans, there was an unexpected delay. The game was held up for several minutes when a member of the chain gang on the sidelines suffered a nasty-looking leg injury when he got caught in the fray at the end of a play.
The broadcast (mercifully) did not show a replay, but the sideline crew member clearly was in a lot of pain; his painful screams were audible over the television feed.
Saints beat writer Jeff Duncan of the Times-Picayune offered up a more positive prognosis than was initially feared. After the game, Duncan reported,
“Nick Piazza, the member of the chain gang who was injured during today’s Lions-Saints game, suffered a dislocated knee and is recovering at University Hospital. He is not expected to need surgery on the injury.”
That’s very good news, all things considered.
Nick Piazza, the member of the chain gang who was injured during today's Lions-Saints game, suffered a dislocated knee and is recovering at University Hospital. He is not expected to need surgery on the injury.
— Jeff Duncan (@JeffDuncan_) December 3, 2023
