Patriots-Packers preseason game ended early after New England DB Isaiah Bolden carted off

The preseason game between the Green Bay Packers and New England Patriots on Saturday night has been suspended prior to its conclusion, the Patriots announced. The decision came mutually from both teams and officials after a scary injury to Patriots defensive back Isaiah Bolden.

Bolden coming in for a run of the mill tackle in the open field. But as the ball carrier cut up field, fellow Patriot defender Calvin Munson came through the space and delivered a crushing, incidental blow to Bolden’s head.

After Bolden pirouetted to the ground, he stayed down motionless until he was carted off the field and then left the stadium in an ambulance.

Bolden “had feeling in all his extremities, but has been taken to a local hospital for further tests and observation,” the Patriots said on X/Twitter shortly after the game was ended early.

Scary moment. Isaiah Bolden took a hit to the head from Calvin Munson and stayed down on the field. pic.twitter.com/bM1MuAytvV

— Zack Cox (@ZackCoxNESN) August 20, 2023

Following that moment in the second half, both teams came to the decision to halt proceedings for the day with around 10 minutes to play. The game ended with the Patriots leading, 21-17.

The Athletic’s Matt Schneidman shared a picture of the scene shortly after the injury and reported that a stabilizing board was brought out for Bolden.

Packers and Patriots on a knee as the cart and backboard come out for New England CB Isaiah Bolden. pic.twitter.com/VkHfrly9Cc

— Matt Schneidman (@mattschneidman) August 20, 2023

Bolden, a rookie, was a seventh-round selection in the 2023 NFL Draft by the Patriots out of Jackson State.

Bolden was not the only player to suffer a severe head or neck injury on Saturday, either.

Buccaneers QB John Wolford carried off on stretcher following scary hit

Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback John Wolford was carried off the field on a stretcher after a hard hit in Saturday’s preseason game against the New York Jets. Wolford was brought down for a sack as his helmet collided with a Jets defender, and his head appears to quickly move to the side before slamming into the ground.

Play stopped for some time as trainers went out on the field to attend to him. An update on the situation revealed that he suffered a neck injury and was taken to a local hospital for evaluation. The good news is he reportedly has movement in all of his extremities.

John Wolford was taken off on a stretcher after this hit. Incredibly scary situation. pic.twitter.com/DSGTc6BxIE

— The Pewter Plank (@ThePewterPlank) August 20, 2023

Wolford is set to enter his fourth NFL season. A former Wake Forest quarterback from 2014-17 he went undrafted in 2018 before later signing with the Jets on their practice squad. However, he was later released and never played a game for the team.

After that, Wolford spent one season playing for the Arizona Hotshots in the AAF. That earned him an opportunity with the Los Angeles Rams in 2020, where he was a backup to Jared Goff and started one game. He remained with the Rams for the next three seasons, winning a Super Bowl in 2021 as the backup to Matthew Stafford.