It’s been a rough few days for Pat the Patriot down in Orlando, Fla., for the Pro Bowl.
On Wednesday afternoon, the New England Patriots mascot was welcomed to the festivities with a shower of boos from fans and a blind-side tackle from New York Jets safety Jamal Adams.
This one is for every Patriots hater out there! I got y’all! pic.twitter.com/q0WAbDfrpL
— Jamal Adams (@Prez) January 24, 2019
It seemed like a harmless joke and all, but Michael DiRocco of ESPN.com reported Thursday that Adams’ hit actually sent the person in the mascot suit to the hospital.
Adams sounds remorseful based on a conversation the 23-year-old had with DiRocco.
Jets S Jamal Adams said Thursday afternoon that he was not trying to injure the Patriots mascot when he tackled him during the NFL Pro Bowl Skills Challenge on Wednesday. Adams said he was told the person inside the mascot costume was hospitalized on… https://t.co/8SqCQK2UwW
— Michael DiRocco (@ESPNdirocco) January 24, 2019
“I didn’t hit him that hard, man. All jokes aside, I didn’t hit him that hard,” Adams said. “I don’t know what’s really going on, but they did tell me he’s in the hospital. My intention was never to hurt him. it was all about just a joke but I definitely want to check on him and make sure everything is good. At the end of the day we were out here just having fun and it wasn’t nothing intentionally to try to hurt the guy.”
Hopefully Pat the Patriot can recover by Feb. 3, when the Patriots play the Los Angeles Rams in Super Bowl LIII at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.
