Raiders' Goodson taken off on a stretcher, but medical reports encouraging

Oakland Raiders running back Mike Goodson was removed from the field on a stretcher and taken to the hospital following a helmet-to-helmet hit during practice in Napa, Calif., on Tuesday, but the medical reports were encouraging.

The Raiders released a statement on their website that said a CT scan and MRI both came back negative, and that Goodson returned to the team hotel Tuesday night.

"The Raiders received encouraging news Tuesday night from doctors treating Mike Goodson, who left the practice field with a neck injury, with movement in his extremities," the team statement said.

Goodson was injured after he caught a pass over the middle and was met head on by linebacker Philip Wheeler.

Goodson remained on the ground, until a stretcher was brought out to take him off the field.

Raiders head coach Dennis Allen said Goodson has a neck injury, but he was not sure of the extent of the damage, according to the Chronicle. Allen said Goodson had feeling in his extremities.

Taiwan Jones and Denarius Moore were by Goodson when he was on the ground, and Moore told Comcast SportsNet Bay Area that Goodson was talking.

"He was," Moore said. "For the most part, they're just going to take him to emergency room and see how things are going."

Wheeler said he tried to make contact with Goodson at the hospital.

"I texted him, told him I was going to pray for him," Wheeler said, according to CSNBA. "I don't think it was helmet to helmet. I've got to look at it. It was just a bang-bang play. I'm just going to pray for him. I didn't mean to do it. I didn't mean to hurt him.

"I wasn't trying to avoid a collision. I was trying to hit him, but I didn't want to hit him so hard like that. I didn't want to hurt anybody. I'm just trying to play like the coaches tell us to with the proper techniques. I just feel bad for Mike right now, and I'm just going to pray for him."

Goodson was acquired in March when the 49ers">49ers traded offensive lineman Bruce Campbell to Carolina. Goodson rushed for 452 yards with the Panthers in 2010, but he missed all but four games last season with a hamstring injury.

With the Raiders, he is competing for the backup running back spot behind Darren McFadden, and coaches have been impressed by his play in preseason camp.

-- The Sports Xchange