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Cummings senior quarterback Tylek Oliver is attended to by medical personnel as paramedics unload a stretcher during the Cavaliers' game against Orange last Friday night.
Tylek Oliver prepared to pick himself up off the field at Cummings High School last Friday night after being on the receiving end of what he believed was just another routine hit.
“I was dropping back and one of the defensive guys came loose, so I tried to scoot up in the pocket and roll out,” Oliver recalled of the final play of the first half against Orange. “Dude from the front grabbed me, and then as I was throwing the check down, he turned me. Then, the dude from the backside, me and him went head on.”
Then, it became quickly apparent to the Cavaliers senior quarterback that this was different.
“At first, I wasn’t thinking nothing of it,” Oliver said. “I was thinking it was a regular hit. Then, that’s when my head started hurting bad, then my neck was hurting and my left side started going numb and was tingling. So, I just laid there.”
That concern spread to teammates, coaches and spectators in the stands when Oliver remained face down with the only apparent movement coming from his legs.
“He was complaining about his neck when we went out there,” Cavaliers coach David Grimm said. “So, we took all the precautions to make sure that we kept him safe by keeping this neck straight and getting the ambulance and all the rest of the protocols there.”
Both Cummings and visiting Orange proceeded to the halftime break as medical personnel continued to attend to Oliver for an extended period of time. Eventually, after taking the proper precautions, paramedics moved Oliver onto a stretcher and transported him to the hospital.
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Oliver gave fist bumps to teammates and signaled a thumbs up to the crowd as he was wheeled to the ambulance, a welcome sign to all those in attendance at Cummings.
“It was important to me because them my boys,” Oliver said of giving a positive sign to his teammates. “So, I just wanted them to know that even when I’m not playing, I’m still there alongside them. I’m always going to be with them regardless.”
Cummings senior quarterback Tylek Oliver is attended to by medical personnel as paramedics unload a stretcher during the Cavaliers' game against Orange last Friday night.
Times-News
Courtesy of Betsy Sioussat
Oliver played the first half with proficiency, completing 15 of 21 passing attempts for 313 yards and five touchdowns to help the Cavaliers build a 40-6 halftime lead.
“I think obviously, it did affect them. But, they did see Tylek leave and he did give them the thumbs up. I think that they felt better about that, all in all,” Grimm said. “I know a lot of them were probably texting Tylek throughout the night, throughout the next day, and heard that he was able to walk out the hospital. I think at that time when it happened, there was obvious concern, and I do think that there was a little shock factor, but we were able to go out there and finish the game up for him.”
Oliver was diagnosed with a bruised spine and eventually walked out of the hospital around 5:30 a.m. Saturday, Grimm said.
“He's in the neck brace for now, but he can move his head,” Grimm said. “Seems to be in good spirits when I went by and saw him on Saturday. He was up walking around and everything. They told me he had a bruised spine. But they're gonna be looking at maybe getting another opinion, just to be sure. But MRI and CT scan came back fine and no concussion.”
While away from the team and unable to play the second half against Orange, a game the Cavaliers finished off with a 54-12 victory, Oliver remained as big of a part of the team as ever. While recovering, he made a point to share words of advice with his teammates in a group chat.
“I was pretty much just telling them to play every down like it’s your last, because this could have been my last play,” Oliver said. “When it’s gone, it’s gone. You can’t do nothing about it. I was pretty much telling them that people that haven’t stepped up got to step up now.”
Oliver said he was pleasantly surprised by the outpouring of support he received. From that, came a reminder about the game.
“Even people I ain’t know was reaching out, making sure I was OK,” Oliver said. “That showed me that football is not just a sport. It’s deeper than a sport. It’s like a family. All the coaches came and saw me. All the players came and saw me. We were sitting here talking about it and I was telling them that regardless of the situation, they still got to go out and play.”
Grimm described Oliver’s availability moving forward as “day-to-day, week-to-week.” The Cavaliers next play Monday night at Eastern Alamance.
As much as Oliver wants to be cleared to return to play, he said he doesn’t want to rush it and compromise his health.
“To be honest, if the doctor was to call me right now and tell me I could come back tomorrow, I would,” Oliver said. “But, they’ve been telling me that my health is more important than anything. If they told me I could come back, I would come back, but I wouldn’t rush it. I would make sure that everything is OK. That game Monday, that’s going to mean a lot. That was a game we was really looking forward to. Regardless if I’m playing or not, I just know my boys are going to go out there and play.”
David Kehrli is a sports reporter at the Burlington Times-News and USA Today Network. You can reach him at david.kehrli@thetimesnews.com. Follow him on Twitter @DavidKehrliTN. Subscribe to the Burlington Times-News here.
