Indianapolis Colts special teams coordinator Brian Mason sustained a significant knee injury during the fourth quarter of a preseason game against the New England Patriots on Thursday night. The incident occurred on the sideline as Mason observed the final play of the game.
Two players, one from the Colts and one from the Patriots, collided with Mason after battling each other following a Hail Mary pass from Colts quarterback Riley Leonard. Mason was seen in visible pain on the field before medical personnel attended to him and escorted him to the locker room for evaluation.
"He got rolled up right on the sideline that last play," Colts head coach Shane Steichen said following the game. "So we'll see. He's getting evaluated for his knee right now."
Mason is preparing for his fourth season as the Colts' special teams coordinator, having previously coached at Notre Dame.
In other game developments, Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson saw his first action since early last season. He scored a touchdown on a one-yard sneak but also committed two turnovers. Richardson completed 11 of 14 passes for 145 yards, with one fumble lost and one pass intercepted. The Colts played the Patriots to a 13-13 tie in the preseason opener.
"Getting back in my groove, it was a little rocky start for me in the beginning, but the guys on the sideline were just telling me to take the next play and just go next play after that," Richardson said. "And we found a way to move the ball and eventually put some points up. ... That's all I was thinking about today - just execute."
For the Patriots, backup quarterback Tommy DeVito threw a touchdown pass to Kyle Williams. Kindle Vildor and John Saunders Jr. each recorded an interception. The Patriots opted to rest Drake Maye and most of their starting players. Mike Vrabel was present on the sideline following an offseason that included seeking counseling after personal photos were published.