NFL suspends remainder of Patriots-Packers exhibition after New England's Isaiah Bolden is carted off following frightening collision with teammate

Patriots rookie cornerback Isaiah Bolden was carted off the field on a stretcher in a frightening scene in the second half of New England's preseason game against the Packers in Green Bay on Saturday night.

The good news is that Bolden has feeling in his extremities, according to the Patriots, who said he was being taken to a local hospital for evaluation. Bolden will be held overnight and the team plans to update his status on Sunday morning. 

Bolden, a seventh-round pick out of Jackson State, collided with teammate Calvin Munson in the fourth quarter at Lambeau Field. The 23-year-old Tampa native remained motionless on the turf before being immobilized as Patriots players gathered around him.

As medical officials treated Bolden, both teams left their respective sidelines and got on the field, with some players taking a knee. 

Patriots coach Bill Belichick, Packers coach Matt Lafleur, and New England captain Matthew Slater were seen speaking while trainers tended to Bolden. Afterwards, Belichick approached referee John Hussey, who suspended play with the Patriots leading 21-17 in the fourth quarter. 

New England Patriots cornerback Isaiah Bolden is brought off the field on Saturday night

Patriots rookie cornerback Isaiah Bolden was taken off the field on a stretcher after the hit

Bolden lays on the field after being injured in the fourth quarter against the Green Bay Packers

Slater later said he was proud of Belichick for making the decision to suspend play.   

'He took the initiative on that,' Slay told reporters. 'This is not the AFC Championship. We are not playing for records. It's preseason game 2. You have an injury like that, it affects a lot of guys in a lot of different ways. Clearly our team was shaken by what happened. 

'I think Coach made the right decision. I think, you know, that was tremendous leadership by him. I have to say, honestly, that was one of the proudest moments I've had as a guy who has played for him for, now, 16 years. There was no hesitation.

'I appreciate coach Lafleur for standing with him on that.'

NFL officials dealt with a similar predicament in January, when Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin suffered a cardiac arrest in Cincinnati after a collision with Bengals receiver Tee Higgins. 

After some back and forth, the remainder of the game was called off and never replayed. 

'Of course that's in the back of all of our minds when something like that happens,' Patriots cornerback Jalen Mills said. 

On Saturday, as medical officials treated Bolden, both teams left their respective sidelines and got on the field, with some players taking a knee. 

Afterwards Munson, whose collision with Bolden led to the frightening incident on Saturday, was seen praying on the field. 

Bolden's injury was not the only scary moment for the NFL on Saturday. In New Jersey, where the New York Jets were hosting the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Bucs quarterback John Wolford was taken off the field on a stretcher. 

Like Bolden, Wolford also has feeling in his extremities and was being taken to a hospital for further evaluation.  

The cousin of former Patriots running back Brandon Bolden, Isaiah attended Florida State before transferring to Jackson State, where he played for Hall of Famer Deion Sanders. 

He was a seventh-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft and was hoping to make the team out of training camp.  

Patriots coach Bill Belichick (left) and Packers coach Matt Lafleur agreed to suspend play 

Patriots players react as teammate Isaiah Bolden is tended to after getting injured

New England Patriots linebacker Calvin Munson (43) reacts after his collision with Bolden

Before Bolden's injury, New England's Mac Jones made his first appearance of the preseason before Bailey Zappe took over and rallied the Patriots to the lead. 

Jones went 6 of 9 for 52 yards in three series, including an 18-yard touchdown drive after a Packers turnover. Jones didn't play last week when the Patriots opened the preseason with a 20-9 loss to the Houston Texans.

Zappe was 10 of 22 for 117 yards with a 40-yard touchdown pass to Kayshon Boutte. Zappe ended the third quarter with a 6-yard touchdown run on a fourth-and-2 play.

Green Bay's Jordan Love threw a 19-yard touchdown pass to rookie second-round pick Jayden Reed on his third and final series of the game.

Love went 5 of 8 for 83 yards and also had two carries for 11 yards as he continues preparing for his first season as a starter following the trade of four-time MVP quarterback Aaron Rodgers to the New York Jets.

New England Patriots players watch as teammate Isaiah Bolden is brought off the field

Green Bay's Kingsley Enagbare sacked Jones twice. His second sack resulted in a fumble that Enagbare recovered to set up the Packers' second touchdown. Enagbare likely would start Green Bay's September 10 opener at Chicago if the Packers don't have outside linebacker Rashan Gary, who is coming back from a torn anterior cruciate ligament that ended his 2022 season.

Green Bay's Anders Carlson kicked a 52-yard field goal with 1 second left in the first half. 

That represented a big boost for the rookie sixth-round pick from Auburn after he missed two extra-point attempts last week in a 36-19 victory at Cincinnati.

The Packers are planning for Carlson to take over for Mason Crosby, the franchise's career leading scorer. Crosby, who had been Green Bay's kicker since 2007, remains a free agent.