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A Georgia football player is being treated for “some serious injuries” after an “accident” earlier this month, head coach Kirby Smart said.
Smart told ESPN that running back Dante Dowdell was the victim of an ATV accident.
Smart said the incident occurred “off campus” and the injuries were “severe enough” to require treatment at two separate hospitals.
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Running back Dante Dowdell of the Georgia Bulldogs catches a pass during the G-Day scrimmage on April 18, 2026 at Sanford Stadium in Athens, Georgia. (Ikon Sportswire via Getty Images)
“He’s out of the really tough lineup, but as far as his full health and getting all the way back, I don’t know what that looks like relative to this year,” Smart said.
Smart said Dowdell was currently being treated at the Shepherd Center in Atlanta, which specializes in spinal cord and brain injuries and rehabilitation.
“He’s just a great kid [with a] big family. We support them a lot. Our players have been up there to see him. It’s a really tough deal,” Smart added.
“We are praying for him and his family. We expect a full recovery, but the outlook right now is we wait and see.”
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Dante Dowdell No. 2 Kentucky Wildcats hurdle TJ Quinn Jr. #34 of the Louisville Cardinals in the second half at L&N Federal Credit Union Stadium on November 29, 2025 in Louisville, Kentucky. (Getty Images)
ESPN said Dowdell was injured near his home in Picayune, Mississippi.
Dowdell is currently on his fourth stop in as many years of his college career, playing at Oregon in 2023 before transferring to Nebraska for next season. Dowdell spent the 2025 campaign with Kentucky.
In his career, Dowdell has 1,264 yards on 272 carries in 30 total games. He scored 12 of his 16 rushing touchdowns with the Cornhuskers, which was fifth-most in the Big Ten that season.
Kentucky Wildcats’ Dante Dowdell #2 runs in the second half against the Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles at Kroger Field on November 15, 2025 in Lexington, Kentucky. (Getty Images)
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A healthy Dowdell was believed to be behind Nate Frazier Jr. and Chauncey Bowens on the depth chart.
