FLORHAM PARK, N.J. -- New York Jets player Kris Boyd, who was shot in the abdomen three weeks ago during an altercation outside a Manhattan restaurant, surprised teammates by showing up at the team facility Wednesday.
Boyd, known for his special teams prowess, attended the special teams meeting. At the end of the session, he was the player who broke down the meeting, much to the delight of his teammates. He stayed much of the day, reconnecting with teammates and coaches.
"I'm pretty sure every single person that walked by gave him a dap up, a high five or a semi-hug," said defensive tackle Harrison Phillips, who was teammates with Boyd on the Minnesota Vikings in 2022.
"It was awesome to see him," tight end Jeremy Ruckert said. "It's not something that we at all thought or knew was going to happen today, so it was a good surprise to see him with such high hopes and positive energy. ... It was cool, a good moment for us to get back around him and for him to be around us."
Boyd's visit came one week after he posted on social media that he had returned to the hospital "due to my health issues." There had been no update since, although a handful of teammates said they had been in touch with him.
His presence certainly brightened the day for the Jets (3-9), who are enduring their 10th straight losing season and are on the verge of being eliminated from playoff contention for the 15th straight year.
"I've had friends that didn't survive gunshot wounds, so to be able to see him walking around with a smile on his face, be able to [talk] with him, I mean, it's always a blessing," edge rusher Jermaine Johnson said. "[Guns] aren't toys and they're very deadly, so the fact that he walked away from it is a blessing."
Johnson didn't recognize Boyd at first, saying he saw "this guy kind of limping around. But then he came closer and I was like, 'Ahh.' I just gave him a hug and said, 'I'm glad to see you.'"
Boyd was shot in the abdomen on Nov. 16, and the bullet traveled to his lung and lodged in the pulmonary artery, police said. He underwent multiple medical procedures, posting Nov. 19 that he was "starting to breathe on my own."
The New York Police Department have identified a potential shooter, but no arrests have been made and the investigation is ongoing, an NYPD spokesman told ESPN.
Boyd, out for the season after a shoulder injury in training camp, was accompanied by teammates Jamien Sherwood and Irvin Charles and another friend at the time of the shooting, police said. They left a trendy midtown restaurant shortly after 2 a.m.
The shooting appeared to have stemmed from an exchange of words between Boyd and another group about their clothes, police said. Boyd was taken to Bellevue Hospital, where he was listed in critical but stable condition for the first three days.
"He just thankful, really," safety Isaiah Oliver said. "He's real grateful to be able to still be here, honestly."