Man, you know how those opening kickoffs hit differently, right? Just a jolt of pure energy. But on August 22, 2026, when the New England Patriots and Philadelphia Eagles kicked off their preseason battle, that jolt turned to ice-cold dread in an instant. Eagles running back Ja’Quinden Jackson went down hard on the play after a collision, just stayed there on the field as Patriots player Lan Larison ran back the kick. From the jump, it was obvious this wasn’t just a bump or a bruise, prompting an immediate, full-on medical response. The scene was absolutely terrifying as Jackson was eventually loaded onto a stretcher and taken off the field in an ambulance.
The Scary Silence at Gillette and the Updates That Followed
Seriously, it was one of those moments that silences a stadium. Everyone watching could feel the weight of it. You never want to see any player in that kind of situation. Jackson, a 24-year-old second-year running back who started as an undrafted rookie with the Jaguars before joining the Eagles earlier this month, had played 19 snaps in their previous preseason game, even snagging an 11-yard pass. But all that stats stuff goes out the window when you’re looking at a scene like this. The good news? His team quickly put out an update that he had “strength and movement in all extremities” and was headed to a hospital for more checks. Then his agent, Damien Butler, hit us with the real relief: his client was “awake, has full movement and use of all four limbs, and his CT scan came back negative.” Can you imagine the collective sigh of relief?
“Thoughts and Prayers” From the Sidelines
The Patriots, even though they were the “opponent,” immediately showed true class. Head coach Mike Vrabel didn’t even mess around in his postgame presser, jumping right into it. “I would just like to send our thoughts and prayers out for Ja’Quinden Jackson,” he said. “You never like to see that. Obviously, I hope everything’s okay there. That’s not how you want to start any game or see anybody out there on the field like that.” Quarterback Tommy DeVito echoed that sentiment, saying, “Our thoughts and prayers are with Ja’Quinden and his family. Not something you would like to see on the field.” Other Patriots like Kyle Williams, Behren Morton, Nick DeGennaro, and Efton Chism also spoke up, with Chism calling it “a very tough situation” and wishing him well. It definitely brought back some bad memories, like when former New England corner Isaiah Bolden went down in a 2023 preseason game, and that one actually got suspended. Thankfully, this time the game kept going after a few minutes, with the home team Patriots winning a tight one, 24-21. But honestly, the score didn’t feel like the main story after what we saw.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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