Everett suffered ‘catastrophic, potentially lethal injury’
Everett was taken off the field on a stretcher after colliding with Broncos returner Domenik Hixon during the second-half kick-off.
The 25-year-old then had emergency neck surgery at Millard Fillmore Hospital on Sunday following his injury.
“He is not in a coma but a deeply drug-induced state,” said Dr Andrew Cappuccino, who is caring for the player.
“We commenced resuscitation in the ambulance. We commenced flushing his body with cold fluids to lower his temperature. Time was of the essence.
“Urgent decompressive surgery was needed. He was then taken to intensive care and was on a respirator and, as we speak, is still on the respirator.
“He has been provided with every mechanism to allow the swelling to go down in his spinal cord.
“He was assessed neurologically this morning and he had the ability to feel all his limbs.
“This young man suffered a potentially lethal injury. He will be controlled for 48 to 72 hours. It was a potentially catastrophic injury.”
Cappuccino said there was still a chance Everett could lose his life although the chance of that happening had been reduced.
“He is not out of that danger – he is less in that danger,” he added.
“Any injury at this level often can lead to respiratory collapse. You can die from respiratory failure.”
It appeared to be a freak injury for Everett, who slammed into Hixon as the return man hit the wedge and broke his tackle.
Everett immediately fell to the turf and appeared to lose consciousness before being transported off the field by ambulance.
“Kevin suffered a contact injury, striking a player while making a tackle,” Bills team doctor John Marzo said.
“When we arrived he was conscious and alert but unable to move his extremities. We began rehearsed protocols for extricating a player with that sort of injury. We were careful in positioning Kevin and immobilising him on a spineboard. He underwent urgent imaging studies which confirmed our fears of a fractured dislocation of the cervical spine and injury to the spinal chord.”
Earlier, Bills coach Dick Jauron revealed the team was hoping and Everett makes a full recovery. “We are anticipating the best outcome and our thoughts are with him,” Jauron said.
“We are not forgetting Kevin and he is never out of our thoughts and prayers. You do go on, you do move forward, without him leaving your thoughts.
“They are a solid group of guys, they like each other, they work hard, they play hard. It is part of the game and we all understand it.
“It was a difficult day regarding Kevin’s injury and how that affects everyone in the stadium and our team,” he added.
“Our thoughts are with Kevin and his family. Kevin understands that and it is what Kevin chooses to do too.
“One of the great things is that when you have a team you have a real closeness. It grows through time and there is a risk involved. It is a dangerous game and we saw that. It happened right in front of us. We are hoping for the best outcome here.”
A third-round pick out of Miami in 2005, the six-foot four-inch 253-pound Everett missed his entire first season with a knee injury.
Everett played primarily on special teams in 2006. He has just one career reception for one yard.
