By Tiffany Williams –
Jets cornerback Kris Boyd was gunned down outside a midtown Manhattan restaurant early Sunday during what law enforcement sources described as a dispute that spiraled into violence.
The 29-year-old was shot in the abdomen outside Sei Less around 2 a.m., according to sources. The bullet tore into his body and lodged in his lung, leaving the NFL veteran in critical condition at Bellevue Hospital. Detectives were still working Sunday to determine what sparked the confrontation.
The Jets quickly acknowledged the incident but kept their distance. “We are aware of the situation involving Kris Boyd and will have no further comment at this time,” a team spokesperson said.
Boyd hasn’t played a snap this season, his first with the Jets, after landing on injured reserve on Aug. 18 with a shoulder injury that required surgery. The team signed him in March with plans for him to bolster a rebuilt special teams unit under new coach Aaron Glenn and coordinator Chris Banjo, but those plans were derailed when Boyd went down during an Aug. 2 training camp practice and had to be carted off.
Before arriving in New York, Boyd carved out a reputation as a special teams force through six NFL seasons, most recently with Houston. He grabbed headlines in January during the Texans’ divisional playoff loss to the Chiefs when he ripped off his helmet celebrating a forced fumble on a kickoff and nearly shoved his special teams coach to the ground.
A seventh-round pick by Minnesota in 2019 out of Texas, Boyd played four seasons with the Vikings, signed with the Cardinals in 2023, and later joined Houston’s practice squad.
As word of the shooting spread, teammates flooded social media with messages of support. “Everybody please send prayers to my brother and teammate Kris Boyd and his family!!! Lord please hold your healing hand over Kris and guide him back to health and safety,” linebacker Jermaine Johnson wrote.
“Lord, place your mighty hand on him as he fights lord God. Guide every doctor, nurse, and surgeon who touches him lord. Give his family strength! Kris is a fighter and we’re all here for him,” defensive tackle Harrison Phillips posted.
Investigators were still searching for answers Sunday as the football world waited for updates on Boyd’s condition.