What initially looked like a funny incident between two rival NFL teams has become something more serious.
New York Jets safety Jamal Adams tackled a person inside a Pat Patriot mascot costume during Wednesday's NFL Pro Bowl Skills Challenge. The incident went viral on social media.
ESPN's Michael DiRocco reported an update on the situation Thursday.
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 Thursday morning, but the NFL has not yet confirmed that information. Adams said the NFL is not happy with him because of the incident. "He [the mascot] was running around and everybody was booing him, so I said, ‘You know what? Let me go tackle him,' Adams said. "I didn't hit him that hard, man. All jokes aside, I didn't hit him that hard. 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."
Adams told ESPN's Diana Russini that he does not regret his actions.
Here's a video of the incident from Wednesday.
Adams is attending his first Pro Bowl. He was selected by the Jets with the No. 6 pick in the 2017 NFL Draft.
UPDATE (Friday, Jan. 25, 7:50 a.m. ET): The person inside the Pat Patriot mascot costume did not go to the hospital but did seek medical attention on site, according to a team spokesperson.
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