An Indianapolis Colts coach suffered a seemingly serious knee injury after he was struck by one of his own players during a preseason game on Thursday night.

In the fourth quarter, Colts special teams coordinator Brian Mason was stood on the sideline watching the final play of the game against the New England Patriots.

Two Colts and Patriots players who were battling each other after Colts QB Riley Leonard's Hail Mary pass smashed into Mason and left him in a heap on the Gillette Stadium turf.

Mason was screaming in agony and rolling around on the turf while feeling the effects of the brutal collision. Doctors rushed to help him and quickly took him to the locker room for an evaluation.

'He got rolled up right on the sideline that last play,' Colts head coach Shane Steichen said after the game. 'So we'll see. He's getting evaluated for his knee right now.' 

Mason is entering his fourth season as the Colts' special teams coordinator after previously working at Notre Dame, the powerhouse college football program.

Elsewhere, it was a good night for Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson as he took the field for his first action since early last season.

Richardson ran for a touchdown but had two turnovers as the Colts played a 13-13 tie with the Patriots in both teams' preseason opener.

Mike Vrabel was on the sideline for New England after a trying offseason in which he sought counseling after numerous photos were published of him with longtime NFL reporter Dianna Russini. 

New England backup quarterback Tommy DeVito threw a 12-yard touchdown pass to Kyle Williams. Kindle Vildor and John Saunders Jr. each had an interception for the Patriots, who rested Drake Maye and the majority of their starters.

Richardson scored on a one-yard sneak. He finished 11 of 14 for 145 yards but lost a fumble and had a pass tipped by receiver Coleman Owen and intercepted by Vildor.

'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.'