A frightening injury suffered by cornerback Isaiah Bolden led the Green Bay Packers and New England Patriots to agree to end Saturday night’s preseason game at Lambeau Field with 10:29 left in the fourth quarter.
The Patriots led 21-17 at the time of suspension and were declared the winner.
Bolden, a rookie, was injured after being struck in the side of the helmet by a teammate on a completion from Sean Clifford to Malik Heath. Players from both teams were down on a knee while Bolden was strapped to a backboard and carted off the field after spending several minutes on the ground following the injury.
Coaches Matt LaFleur and Bill Belichick mutually agreed to suspend the game. Referee John Hussey made the announcement at Lambeau Field around 10:00 p.m. local time.
The Patriots provided a positive update on Bolden’s condition:
Patriots cornerback Isaiah Bolden sustained an injury during the fourth quarter of tonight’s game. He had feeling in all his extremities, but has been taken to a local hospital for further tests and observation.
— New England Patriots (@Patriots) August 20, 2023
The Patriots took a 21-17 lead on a 17-play scoring drive during the third quarter. Bailey Zappe scored the go-ahead points on a 6-yard touchdown run on 4th-and-2 on the final play of the third quarter.
The Packers held a 14-7 lead after a Patrick Taylor touchdown run and a 17-14 lead following a 52-yard field goal from Anders Carlson. Jordan Love threw a touchdown pass to rookie Jayden Reed in the first half. Romeo Doubs caught two passes for 52 yards, and Kingsley Enagbare had two sacks and a forced fumble.
