Patriots-Packers preseason game suspended after rookie Isaiah Bolden gets carted off
Saturday night's preseason game between the New England Patriots and Green Bay Packers was suspended following a scary injury suffered by Patriots rookie Isaiah Bolden.
Bolden had to be carted off the field after he appeared to collide with teammate Calvin Munson while in coverage on a fourth quarter play. The Patriots said the rookie seventh-round defensive back "had feeling in all his extremities, but has been taken to a local hospital for further tests and observation." The Patriots later said Bolden would be held overnight at a Green Bay hospital and said they'd provide further updates on his condition by 8 a.m. ET on Sunday.
The game was called with 10:29 to go in the fourth quarter. The Patriots said the decision to end the game early came via "mutual agreement of the teams."
"All saying a prayer for Isaiah," Patriots head coach Bill Belichick said. "Appreciated the way the league handled it, I think (ending the game early) was the right thing to do."
Longtime Patriots special teams standout Matthew Slater said Bolden's injury is "a reminder of the fragility of life."
“It’s not something we spend a lot of time thinking about, but the reality is all of us will have to wrestle with that at some point in time, every person who’s ever walked the face of this Earth. I think it’s unfortunate that it happens in this context and this setting because this is meant to be a joyful, celebratory experience," Slater said.
“We’re playing a game. We’re doing what we love. We’re entertaining people. People are getting enjoyment out of our game. But it’s a reminder that things can turn on a dime," Slater added.
“It’s something you have to put out of your head as a player because you can’t go out there with fear and hesitation, but the reality is things happen in life and certainly things happen in football all the time.”
Contributing: Associated Press