Bucs receiver Russell Gage is carted off the field in Tampa Bay after an awkward punch in the neck

Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Russell Gage was taken off the field on a stretcher in Monday’s playoff game against the Dallas Cowboys after convulsing after a fumble and unable to get to his feet.

The incident happened late in the fourth quarter at a cruising track across the middle of the field. Gauge tripped trying to catch up with Tom Brady’s pass with Cowboys safety Donovan Wilson leaning over for a tackle. At that moment, Wilson collided with the back of Gage’s helmet, sending his neck back in the opposite direction.

Gage tried to get up, but his body sagged back onto the turf, prompting immediate concern from both the Bucs and Cowboys players.

In a scene eerily reminiscent of Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin’s on-field cardiac arrest Jan. 2 in Cincinnati, both teams stood on the field in silence while several players knelt in prayer while Gage was examined by medical personnel . Brady in particular seemed stunned in the moments after his teammate went down.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Russell Gage (17) is hit by Dallas Cowboys safety Donovan Wilson (6) in the second half of an NFL wild card round game

Russell Gage #17 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers is flown off the field after injuring himself against the Dallas Cowboys in the fourth quarter of the NFC wildcard playoff game at Raymond James Stadium January 16

The injury comes as the NFL continues to grapple with the fallout from Hamlin’s situation, which has improved since he collapsed on the field at Paycor Stadium three weeks earlier.

Since his collapse, Hamlin has made remarkable strides, transferring from the University of Cincinnati Medical Center to a Buffalo-area hospital before his release this week. The 24-year-old safety guard has kept in touch with his teammates as he continues to recover after being revived on the field in Cincinnati.

Gage, 26, played collegiate at LSU before being drafted in the sixth round of the 2018 NFL Draft by the Atlanta Falcons. He played four seasons with Atlanta and recorded 72 passes for 786 yards and four touchdowns in 2020 before signing a three-year, $30 million contract with the Bucs in March.

Russell Gage is examined on the pitch as stunned team-mates look on during Monday’s game

In a scene eerily reminiscent of Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin’s cardiac arrest on the field in Cincinnati on Jan. 2, both teams stood on the field in silence while several players knelt in prayer while Gage was examined by medical personnel