2022 Throwback: Detroit Lions Top 10 Injury News - Smith & Walker

The Detroit Lions 2022 season was the start of the incredible turnaround for this team. Relive the season through the lens of the Top 10 Injury News recap with present day updates.

Here are number one and two on the list. For the full list, visit 2022 Revisited: Lions Top 10 Injury News with Present Updates.

#1 Saivion Smith temporary paralysis

🦁Detroit Lions Top 10 injury news of 2022
#1 Saivion Smith temporary paralysis
-Moving around well before play
-Drops head, contact to top of helmet, falls limp immediately. Unable to move arms/legs.
-Fully recovered neurologically within seconds to minutes pic.twitter.com/a6Lut6ImGF

— Jimmy Liao MD | Detroit Lions Morning Rounds (@JimmyLiaoMD) March 11, 2023

A seemingly innocuous play led to a temporary paralysis for Saivion Smith. The game was stopped for a prolonged period as an ambulance transferred him to the hospital. Fortunately, he had full neurologic recovery within seconds to minutes, although he did later require a spinal fusion.

He was re-signed by the Lions for the 2023 season and participated in training camp, but did not make the roster.

2026 UPDATE: Smith did not appear in an NFL game since his injury and is currently out of the NFL.

#2 Tracy Walker Achilles rupture

🦁Detroit Lions Top 10 injury news of 2022
#2 Tracy Walker Achilles tear
-Hurt in game 3, out for year
-Team captain
-Absence had noticeable impact on secondary late in Vikings game and for a few weeks after until Kerby Joseph hit his stride pic.twitter.com/NA7A82DiEP

— Jimmy Liao MD | Detroit Lions Morning Rounds (@JimmyLiaoMD) March 10, 2023

This team captain ruptured his Achilles in Game 3 and missed the season. The secondary greatly missed his presence, but it opened the way for the emergence of a superstar, Kerby Joseph, later in the season.

This injury dramatically impacted Walker’s career as he only played one more season in the NFL.

2026 UPDATE: Walker has not been with an NFL team since early in the 2024 season (49ers), and his career appears to be over.

Walker’s case is why there is legitimate concern for the outcome of Brian Branch. For the full analysis, visit Brian Branch Achilles injury analysis & outlook.

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This article originally appeared on Lions Wire: 2022 Throwback: Detroit Lions Top 10 Injury News - Smith & Walker