New York Jets player Kris Boyd is in a critical situation in hospital after being shot in the early hours of Sunday morning.
The NYPD said the 29-year-old was shot in the abdomen around 2am on West 38th street in Midtown. He was taken to Bellevue Hospital, where he is in critical but stable condition.
“We are aware of the situation involving Kris Boyd and will have no further comment at this time,” the Jets said in a statement.
The New York Post reported that Boyd was shot after a dispute outside a restaurant turned violent. Police said they are looking for a man who fled the scene in a BMW X8 SUV.
The Minnesota Vikings selected Boyd, a cornerback who plays mainly on special teamas, in the seventh-round of the 2019 draft after a standout college career at Texas. He also played for the Houston Texans and Arizona Cardinals before joining the Jets in March. He had not played so far this season due to injury.
During his time at Texas Boyd said that struggles during his childhood – he lost his father and the grandmother who helped raise him – had given him a positive outlook on life.
“I appreciate all the little things,” Boyd said. “Everyone always asks me why I’ve got a smile on my face. It’s because I’m not supposed to be here.”
The Jets have endured a difficult season off the field. In October one of the most popular players in their history, Nick Mangold, died at the age of 41 while seeking a kidney transplant. Earlier this month, Dallas Cowboys defensive end Marshawn Kneeland died at the age of 24.
