Muscle Strain: The most common injury in football, muscle strains can occur due to the sudden and forceful nature of tackles, leading to neck pain and a popping sensation.

Cervical Sprain: Similar to muscle strains, cervical sprains can result from the stretching or tearing of ligaments in the neck during a tackle, causing pain and instability.
Herniated Disc: The force of a tackle can cause a disc in the cervical spine to herniate, leading to pain, numbness, and weakness in the neck and arms.
Stinger or Burner: A common injury in contact sports, stingers or burners are caused by compression or stretching of the nerves in the neck, resulting in a burning sensation and weakness.

Cervical Spine Fracture: Although less common, fractures of the cervical spine can occur due to severe trauma, such as a tackle, and are critical to diagnose to prevent further injury or paralysis.
Spinal Cord Injury: Any injury that affects the spinal cord can have severe and long-lasting consequences, including paralysis, and must be promptly identified and treated.
Vertebral Artery Dissection: A tear in the vertebral artery can lead to a stroke, making it a critical diagnosis not to miss, especially if there are symptoms such as severe headache, dizziness, or neurological deficits.

Cervical Osteochondritis Dissecans: A rare condition where a piece of cartilage and bone in the cervical spine becomes damaged, potentially causing pain and neurological symptoms.
Infectious or Inflammatory Conditions: Conditions such as discitis or osteomyelitis, although rare in this context, could present with neck pain and should be considered, especially if there are systemic symptoms like fever.