The New England Patriots received good news on Isaiah Bolden following Saturday's scary collision, which resulted in New England and the Green Bay Packers agreeing to cancel the remainder of the preseason matchup. Head coach Bill Belichick provided the crucial update on the rookie cornerback, as he got to travel back to Foxborough with the team.
"He flew back with us [Sunday]," Belichick said to WEEI Monday morning. "I talked to Isaiah [on Sunday], and he's in good spirits. Recovering, obviously. So we'll just take it day to day. But he certainly seems a lot better today than it looked like Saturday night, so that's a good thing. It's good for him to fly back with the team and everyone see him. He's got a lot of support here."
Bolden was injured with 10:38 remaining in the fourth quarter as the rookie defensive back was placed on a stretcher and carted off the field.
On a third-and-7, Bolden was looking to tackle Packers wideout Malik Heath when he took friendly fire from teammate Calvin Munson. Bolden was hit in the head, fell to the ground and did not move afterwards. Bolden was then placed on a stretcher and carted off the field. That was the final play of the game, as both teams agreed to end the contest.
"Upon mutual agreement of the teams, tonight's game between the New England Patriots and the Green Bay Packers has been suspended," the Patriots announced on social media. The Packers posted a similar message.
Later, the Patriots announced that Bolden had feeling in all of his extremities. He was taken to a local hospital for further tests and observation. On Sunday morning, the team sent out a statement giving an update on Bolden's condition.
"After undergoing a series of evaluations and being held for overnight observations, Patriots cornerback Isaiah Bolden has been released from the Aurora Bay Medical Center in Green Bay, Wisconsin, where he was transported to after sustaining an on-field injury in the fourth quarter of Saturday night's preseason game between the New England Patriots and the Green Bay Packers. Isaiah will travel with the team today. We thank the medical staff at Aurora Bay Medical Center for their overnight evaluations, as well as the Patriots and Packers medical staffs for their immediate on-field response and care in transporting Isaiah to a nearby hospital.
Due to the circumstances surrounding the abrupt and unexpected ending to last night's game, the Patriots will return to Foxborough today. The joint practices that were scheduled with the Tennessee Titans on Tuesday and Wednesday are cancelled. The team will train in Foxborough this week and fly to Nashville on Thursday for Friday night's game."
Bolden, a seventh-round pick out of Jackson State, posted on social media Sunday morning and said that he appreciates the prayers people have sent his way and that he's "more excited to be back with the guys."
