The Eagles’ preseason game against the Patriots turned alarming almost immediately Saturday when running back Ja’Quinden Jackson was knocked out cold on the opening kickoff at Gillette Stadium and had to be taken away in an ambulance.
Medical personnel rushed onto the field to treat Jackson after the hit. The Eagles later issued a statement saying, “Ja’Quinden Jackson has strength and movement in all extremities,” and added that he was being taken to the hospital for further evaluation.
Jackson, 24, joined Philadelphia on Aug. 10 after a roundabout route to the roster. He went undrafted in 2025, then landed with Jacksonville on its practice squad before the Jaguars waived him in May. Over four college seasons at Utah and Arkansas, he piled up 2,148 rushing yards and 29 touchdowns.
He entered this preseason trying to carve out a place in a crowded backfield. Saquon Barkley and Tank Bigsby appear to be roster locks, while Will Shipley looks likely to claim a third spot. That leaves Jackson battling players such as Dameon Pierce and Carson Steele for any remaining room on the 53-man roster or practice squad.
The Eagles and Patriots were meeting for the second time in less than a week after joint practices in Foxborough earlier in the week. Those sessions brought their own flashpoints, including A.J. Brown’s return to face his former team after his June trade to New England and a clash between Patriots coach Mike Vrabel and Eagles pass rusher Jalyx Hunt.
Jackson’s injury comes during a summer that has already put Philadelphia’s depth to the test. Rookie offensive lineman Jaeden Roberts left training camp on a cart after an injury scare weeks earlier, and wide receiver DeVonta Smith has dealt with a hamstring issue heading into the season. Both situations were less serious than the scene involving Jackson on Saturday.
The Eagles have not offered another update on Jackson since their initial statement, and the team has only confirmed that he had movement in all extremities. Philadelphia still has one more preseason game before final roster decisions are made ahead of the regular season.
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