Detroit Lions cornerback Saivion Smith left his 2022 NFL debut in an ambulance on Sunday.

The former Alabama defensive back sustained an injury on a second-and-9 snap in the first quarter of the Lions’ game against the New England Patriots.

Smith jammed New England tight end Hunter Henry, who was lined up in the slot, as the receiver came off the line of scrimmage. But after contacting Henry with his helmet, Smith spun and fell face first to the turf at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts.

Henry had a 23-yard reception on the play to the Detroit 21-yard line, but the attention quickly shifted back up the field, where medical personnel attended to Smith, who was placed on a backboard.

After Smith was loaded in an ambulance for transport, a man wearing Detroit Lions gear came out of the stands and left with it.

The Lions announced Smith had been taken to a hospital to be evaluated for a neck injury.

Smith is a member of the Detroit practice squad. The Lions elevated him to the activate roster for Sunday’s game.

Smith left Alabama after the 2018 campaign with one season of eligibility remaining. He wasn’t selected in the 2019 NFL Draft and signed as a rookie free agent with the Jacksonville Jaguars. Jacksonville waived Smith at the end of the preseason as it reduced its roster to the regular-season limit.

In 2020, Smith played for the Houston Roughnecks of the XFL before that league stopped its season prematurely because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Smith spent the 2020 NFL season mainly as a member of the Dallas Cowboys’ practice squad. But he also played in six games, including one start. He was on the field for 75 defensive snaps and 84 special-teams plays and made three tackles last season.

Waived by the Cowboys in May 2021, Smith was claimed by the Seattle Seahawks, but they released him on the eve of training camp. He joined the Denver Broncos in time for the 2021 preseason. When Smith didn’t make the regular-season roster, Denver signed him for its practice squad, where he spent the first seven weeks of the season.

The San Francisco 49ers signed Smith to their active roster on Dec. 11. After playing on special teams in San Francisco’s 26-23 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals on Dec. 12, Smith was waived again. Claimed off waivers by the Lions, he played on special teams in Detroit’s next two games.

Smith has spent 2022 with the Lions. After not making the 53-man roster coming out of the preseason, he was signed for the practice squad and was playing in his 10th NFL regular-season game on Sunday.

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Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.