Patrick Chung Injury Update: Patriots Player Leaves Super Bowl LIII, Appears To Suffer Broken Arm

New England Patriots safety Patrick Chung suffered a brutal injury in the third quarter of Super Bowl LIII, one that will keep him out for the rest of the game.

Chung went down hard after making a hit early in the third quarter, and was seen screaming in pain as medical staff attended to him. Chung had an air cast placed on his arm, which is normally used for a broken arm.

Replay showed that Chung’s right arm got caught between Los Angeles Rams running back Todd Gurley and teammate Jonathan Jones, as both went in to make the tackle. Chung appeared to be in immediate pain, with the team’s medical staff attending to him immediately. The team brought a cart, but Chung ultimately walked off the field under his own power.

Shortly after Chung was taken off the field, the team announced that the starting safety would not be returning to the game. Six-year veteran Duron Harmon will take over in his place. Harmon started six games for the Patriots this season, notching 38 tackles and a career-high four interceptions.

The loss could be devastating for the Patriots, as Chung is a cornerstone of the team’s secondary. He is tasked with communicating with other defenders before and during the plays.

Patriots coach Bill Belichick has been full of praise for Chung and the role he plays in the team’s defense.

“The guy is a really good football player. He’s one of the best players in the league, one of the best players on our team,” Belichick said before the Super Bowl last year, via the Providence Journal. “He does a lot of things very well and has done them that way for a long time. We’re lucky we have him. He’s an outstanding player in all the things that he does. We put a lot on him, and he always comes through.”

Super Bowl LIII had been dominated by defense at the time of Patrick Chung’s exit, with the Patriots forcing a punt on every drive for the Los Angeles Rams and holding quarterback Jared Goff to under 50 yards passing. The Patriots held a 3-0 lead at the time of Chung’s injury, but the Rams took advantage on the next drive, making a rare journey across the 50-yard line and ultimately tying the game on a 53-yard field goal from kicker Greg Zuerlein.

Patrick Chung is down and appears to be in a lot of pain. pic.twitter.com/8lXjgjDUf3

— B/R Gridiron (@brgridiron) February 4, 2019

#Patriots S Patrick Chung, down on the field, is having an air cast put on his arm as he screams in frustration. That’s often the case for a broken arm.

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) February 4, 2019

This is a breaking story. More updates on Patrick Chung’s injury will be added as they are available.