### Saints' Chris Olave Suffers Concussion After Illegal Hit by Panthers' Xavier Woods

New Orleans Saints' wide receiver Chris Olave had to be carted off the field on a backboard after taking a severe hit from Panthers defensive back Xavier Woods. The incident occurred with just over seven minutes remaining in the first quarter. Olave was covered by cornerback Mike Jackson when a high pass flew out of reach, and Woods then delivered a forceful blow to the defenseless receiver.

Despite four penalty flags being thrown on the play, Woods, who has been one of the most penalized players in football since 2018, was not ejected from the game. This marked Woods' ninth career unnecessary roughness penalty, adding to his history of sportsmanship infractions that also includes two horse-collar tackles and a facemask.

As Olave was being transported off the field, he was seen moving his feet and hands, with teammates offering him high-fives. He was taken to the tunnel with his hands covering his face and was promptly ruled out of the game with a concussion. According to the Saints, Olave has movement in all his extremities and is undergoing further evaluation at Atrium Health Carolinas Medical Center.

This is not the first time Olave has encountered head injuries; he was diagnosed with a concussion in Week 6 and was cleared of a concussion just last week after another hard hit. In his rookie season in 2022, Olave also suffered multiple concussions, missing subsequent games. Last week, he mentioned considering wearing a Guardian Cap for added protection, though he chose not to wear one for this game.

The Saints were leading the Panthers 6-0 at the time of the incident.