Seahawks say Ricardo Lockette’s neck surgery was ‘successful’

Wide receiver Ricardo Lockette’s neck surgery was successful, the Seahawks announced Monday evening.

“Ricardo Lockette underwent successful neck surgery this afternoon at the Baylor University Medical Center in Dallas,” reads a statement from the team. “He is expected to remain in the hospital for a few days for recovery. He will be up and moving around as early as tomorrow and his neurological signs are all positive.”

Seahawks coach Pete Carroll talked Monday afternoon in a press conference at team headquarters in Renton about Lockette’s status, before the surgery was complete.

Asked to describe the severity of Lockette’s injury, Carroll called it “serious” and revealed that it caused an issue with a disc in Lockette’s neck in addition to ligament damage, which are being repaired in surgery.

The injury and surgery will end Lockette’s season, Carroll told “Brock and Salk” earlier Monday. He reiterated during his press conference later in the day that he doesn’t know how it will impact Lockette’s football future beyond this season.

Asked about Lockette’s quality of life outside of football and whether or not he’ll be able to walk in the coming months, Carroll said, “Oh yeah. Yeah, all of that. He has all access to everything. I think he may stay (in the hospital) for about a week in processing just to make sure that he’s OK before he leaves, but he’ll be up and moving right away I think, from what they say.”

Two Seahawks players – running back Marshawn Lynch and left tackle Russell Okung – remained in Dallas along with a few other team staff members to be with Lockette through his surgery, according to a source. Members of Lockette’s immediate family attended Sunday’s game and are also with him at the hospital.

Carroll said he spoke with Lockette’s father just before the surgery started and that Ricardo was “in good spirits.”

Lockette was injured while covering a punt late in the second quarter of Seattle’s win over Dallas when he was hit hard by Cowboys safety Jeff Heath. Lockette also sustained a concussion on the play, Carroll confirmed. He remained motionless on the AT&T Stadium turf for several minutes while teammates, coaches and medical staff surrounded him. Lockette was strapped to a backboard, placed on a stretcher and taken off the field on a cart before being transported to the hospital.

Carroll thanked everyone who assisted in treating Lockette.

“We are really grateful that our medical staff and the emergency staff at the stadium and the medical staff of the Cowboys and also Baylor Hospital were able to really just jump at the cause and take great care of him,” Carroll said.

710Sports.com’s Brent Stecker contributed to this report.

Related

Salk: Some players linked to Mariners are exciting, others aren’tUSWNT, Seattle Reign legend Megan Rapinoe elected to National Soccer Hall of FameSeahawks sign former Bengals guard to practice squadMorosi: What Mariners are looking to add to bullpenBroncos back out of trade for ex-WSU standoutStacy: Where is this year’s breakout Seahawks player?