Patriots' rookie cornerback Isaiah Bolden has been released from a Green Bay-area hospital after being carted off the field in the fourth quarter of New England's exhibition game with the Packers on Saturday night, in an injury that ultimately led to a suspension of the game.
The Patriots said in a statement Sunday that Bolden, who appeared to collide with teammate Calvin Munson while attempting to make a hit on a pass completion to Green Bay's Malik Heath, traveled with the team Sunday when it returned to Massachusetts.
Bolden posted a message Sunday morning to the platform X, formerly known as Twitter, thanking people for their concern.
“Appreciate the prayers more excited to be back with the guys," the message said.
The Patriots and Packers mutually agreed to call off the remainder of the game after Bolden’s injury, with the Patriots leading 21-17 with 10:29 left in the fourth quarter. The team said after the injury that Bolden had movement in all his extremities and was transported to Aurora Bay Medical Center for testing.
“It looks like just one of those collision hits, those freak hits that you see on rare occasions in this league, that you hate to see,” Patriots cornerback Jalen Mills said.
But as Bolden lay on the field with a serious injury, his teammates couldn’t avoid thinking about Damar Hamlin.
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The incident came more than seven months after Hamlin — a Buffalo Bills safety — went into cardiac arrest and was resuscitated on the field after making what appeared to be a routine tackle against the Cincinnati Bengals on Jan. 2.
“Of course that’s in the back of all of our minds when something like that happens,” Mills said.
As medical officials treated Bolden, both teams left their respective sidelines and got on the field, with some players getting on one knee.
“It’s a reminder of the fragility of life," Patriots special teams player Matthew Slater said. "It’s not something we spend a lot of time thinking about, but the reality is all of us will have to wrestle with that at some point in time, every person who’s ever walked the face of this Earth. I think it’s unfortunate that it happens in this context and this setting because this is meant to be a joyful, celebratory experience.
"We’re playing a game. We’re doing what we love. We’re entertaining people. People are getting enjoyment out of our game. But it’s a reminder that things can turn on a dime."
The Patriots say they've canceled their scheduled joint practices with the Tennessee Titans on Tuesday and Wednesday in Nashville. The Patriots will train in Foxborough this week and fly to Tennessee on Thursday for Friday's exhibition game.
Titans coach Mike Vrabel said Sunday that the Patriots informed them Saturday night about the change in plans after Bolden was carted off the field.
Vrabel said the Titans wish Bolden well in his recovery and understands the Patriots' decision to work by themselves this week. Vrabel said he would've loved to have his Titans practice against New England as previously scheduled on Tuesday and Wednesday.
"Obviously understand that things come up, and we’re always able to adjust and adapt and we’ll practice and we’ll get work in and and we’ll see where we are here at the end of the week on Friday,” Vrabel said.