The life-threatening cardiac arrest of Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin last season alarmed many NFL fans. Unfortunately, the New England Patriots rookie player Isaiah Bolden had nearly a similar injury before the start of the regular season.
On Saturday night, the Patriots and Green Bay Packers played in a preseason game. It was anticipated that Bolden, who was selected by the New England Patriots in the seventh round of the 2023 NFL Draft, would have a strong start to his rookie campaign. But after a terrifying collision with Bolden at 10:29 of the fourth quarter, his aspirations for the season will probably suffer to a great extent.
The Preseason game was canceled due to a scary hit on rookie Isaiah Bolden
The rookie cornerback took a hit from Calvin Munson while attempting to tackle Malik Heath. Isaiah fell to the ground and was rendered motionless pretty much that instant. He was checked over by the medical staff before being loaded onto a stretcher and taken off the field.
Although the Patriots were awarded the winner because they were ahead 21-17, the coaches elected to call a timeout after consulting with referee John Hussey. After the game, Patriots coach Bill Belichick voiced his appreciation for the choice, calling it the best one given the tense situation.
“We’re all saying a prayer for Isaiah. Appreciate the way the league handled it. I think that was the right thing to do.”
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The Packer’s head coach Matt LaFleur expressed also his gratitude for the choice and his deepest worries about Boldens’ injuries and the family’s ability to cope emotionally.
“Thoughts and prayers to Isaiah Bolden and his family. It’s a scary situation, one that you never want to see in our game. I thought it was in the best interest of both teams — coach Belichick and I talked on the field — to take the action that we took.”
Even though the Patriots claimed the rookie cornerback has sensations in all of his extremities, he is currently receiving treatment at a local hospital.
How much is Bolden’s Patriots contract?
On May 12, 2023, Isaiah agreed to a four-year deal with the Patriots worth $3,921,684 that includes $81,684 in guarantees and a $81,684 signing bonus.
The 23-year-old participated on the Patriots’ special teams in Week 1’s preseason match. He was the only HBCU player selected this year, and his average kickoff return yardage of 36.6 yards per attempt was the best in the country in 2021. He also tied for the most kickoff returns for touchdowns in the FCS with two through this record.
Like Bill’s safety, who overcame all physical challenges, we hope the rookie player will also make a remarkable comeback on the field.
