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After terrifying hit and being carted off, Justin Shorter sends message to Florida fans

Stephen Samraby: Steve Samra12/24/21SamraSource
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Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images

A terrifying scene befell the Gasparilla Bowl on Thursday, as Florida wide receiver Justin Shorter was carted off the field. Late in the fourth quarter, Shorter took a huge hit while going up for a pass from quarterback Emory Jones.

On his way down, Shorter was hit by UCF defensive back Quadric Bullard. Immediately, both teams knew something wasn’t right as Shorter laid motionless on the ground.

Both Florida and UCF players took a knee, as everyone in Tampa Bay wished to see Shorter get up. After being carted off the field, there’s been no update on the Florida wide receiver — but Shorter did take to Instagram, where he seemed in good spirits.

“Still me,” Shorter captioned a post on his Instagram story, a video of him at a medical center. In the video, the former five-star recruit sends off nothing but positive vibes.

While there’s been no official update on Justin Shorter, his Instagram story provides a measure of relief. The wide receiver took a scary hit, but he’s radiating positivity less than twelve hours afterwards.

More on Justin Shorter

When Justin Shorter was being recruited out of South Brunswick, New Jersey, many expected him to become a premier wide receiver in college football. A five-star recruit, Shorter possessed immense talent and potential.

Originally, Shorter committed to and played for the Penn State Nittany Lions. In two years at Penn State, the star recruit never found his footing — catching 15 passes for 157 yards and no touchdowns.

Then, Shorter transferred to Florida prior to the 2020 season. In an offense more suited to his strengths, the five-star prospect showed his stuff. He set new highs in his first season with the Gators, catching 25 passes for 268 yards and three touchdowns.

Afterwards, Shorter was expected to take on a bigger role in 2021 — but the season has been a disaster for the entire Florida offense. Still, the wide receiver put up decent numbers, amassing 550 yards and three touchdowns on 41 receptions.

Now, the world is waiting to see what Justin Shorter does next. Whether he returns to Florida under new coach Billy Napier or looks towards the NFL Draft, the football world will be happy just to see him return to the field.