Patriots CB Isaiah Bolden Provides Update: ‘Excited to be Back with the Guys’
The New England Patriots provided a much-needed sign of relief to all within the NFL universe on Sunday morning, by announcing that cornerback Isaiah Bolden had been released from the hospital following Saturday night's scary injury in a preseason game against the Green Bay Packers.
Thankfully, Bolden appears to be in good spirits as he prepares to depart Green Bay with his Patriots teammates — with his situation serving as an arresting reminder that some things are bigger than the game of football.
Shortly after the Patriots informed both fans and the media of Bolden’s condition, he shared a brief note of thanks via social media, along with his excitement to be rejoining his teammates.
On a fourth-quarter third-and-7 for the Packers from the Pats' 25-yard line, Bolden collided violently with teammate Calvin Munson while attempting to cover Green Bay pass-catcher Malik Heath. He immediately fell to the ground after sustaining a hit to the head from Munson’s elbow.
As members of both teams formed a prayer-like circle surrounding him — eerily reminiscent of Buffalo Bills’ safety Damar Hamlin’s life-threatening scare last January — paramedics placed Bolden on a stretcher and removed him from the field on a cart. After a brief consultation, both the Patriots and Packers agreed to suspend play, thus ending the game.
The Patriots issued the aforementioned statement regarding Bolden’s improved prognosis just after 8 a.m. on Sunday morning:
As the Patriots return home to Foxboro, they have decided to the Patriots and Tennessee Titans have agree to cancel next week's scheduled joint practices scheduled for Tuesday-Wednesday in Nashville. In doing so, they will undoubtedly be putting the game of football in a bit more enlightened context — while remaining grateful for the improved health of their teammate.
“It’s the reality of the sport that we play,” fellow defenisve back Jalen Mills told Christopher Price of the Boston Globe. “It’s one of those rare things that you just see here and there throughout the league and unfortunately to us to today, it happened to our teammate …a great young player. Our hearts are with him”
To echo Mills’ sentiments, Patriots captain Matthew Slater reminded everyone of the blessings the team is sure to be feeling as Bolden travels with the team back to New England.
“I think, it’s easy to take things for granted … It’s easy to assume a certain outcome,” said Slater. “I think we all need to realize how blessed we are, and we need to live our lives with a lot of gratitude — realizing that we’re very blessed. Certainly all the guys in that locker room, regardless of what their status is on this football team, they’re very blessed. Tonight is a reminder of that, and hope that’s something we never take for granted.”
The Pats had planned to fly to Tennessee Sunday, but now will remain in Foxboro next week before traveling for Friday night's final preseason game against the Titans at 8:15 p.m. from Nissan Stadium.
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