CHICAGO -- Bears receiver Brandon Marshall left Thursday night's game against the Dallas Cowboys in an ambulance after suffering a rib injury in the second quarter at the end of a 15-yard reception.
Marshall took to Twitter later Thursday night to let fans know he was doing better.
Thanks for the Prayers. ..
I'm Good. #MindOverMatter
— Machine Marshall (@BMarshall) December 5, 2014With 7:35 remaining in the first half, Marshall caught a fourth-down pass from Jay Cutler. As Marshall secured the ball, Cowboys safety Barry Church came in late to make the play, jamming his right knee into the lower right side of the receiver's back and midsection.
"Yeah, it looked kind of [like] an innocent hit. I didn't see it that well," Cutler said. "He's a big guy and has taken a lot of crazy hits over the years. He doesn't stay down. So whenever he stays down, you know something is seriously wrong. We're all worried about him. He's our guy, and hopefully he'll get back sooner rather than later. He's in pain. We talked to him at halftime a little bit. They are still checking him out, but he was in good spirits."
Athletic trainers attended to Marshall briefly before the receiver walked off the field under his own power. He was later escorted into the locker room.
Bears coach Marc Trestman said "it's scary" anytime a player goes down and doesn't quickly get back up.
"We all worry for him," Trestman said. "We'll see, and we're hopeful it's nothing too serious. But at this point, he is under evaluation."
Marshall caught three passes for 61 yards prior to suffering the injury.
The hit against the Cowboys marks the third time this season Marshall suffered an injury that forced him to miss playing time. Marshall was slowed for the early part of the season because of a high right ankle sprain suffered against the Buffalo Bills. In the team's Nov. 9 loss to the Green Bay Packers, Marshall sprained his left ankle.
Marshall entered the game fourth on the team in receptions, and now has 61 grabs for 721 yards and eight touchdowns.
Bears safety Chris Conte also left Thursday night's game early after he sustained a back injury in the third quarter.
The latest setback tops off myriad injury issues for Conte. The veteran safety left the team's loss to the Detroit Lions on Thanksgiving because of an eye injury. In addition, Conte has been diagnosed with two concussions this season, in addition to missing time with sprains on both shoulders.