Huge hit from NFL star Jamal Adams leaves Patriots mascot needing treatment (VIDEO)

New England mascot Pat the Patriot felt the full force of New York Jets safety Jamal Adams when the NFL star unleashed a massive hit on the talisman soldier – causing the person in the costume to need medical treatment.

Adams was on the sidelines at Pro Bowl training in Orlando, Florida, earlier this week when he spotted the New England mascot nearby.

Breaking away from signing autographs, the 23-year-old told fans, “I’m gonna go knock this mascot out,” before charging at the unsuspecting Pat and taking him down.

Adams stood over the stricken mascot before casually walking away.

He later posted footage of the hit, joking: “This one is for every Patriots hater out there! I got y’all!” 

The laughs turned to concern however when Adams later said that the man in the costume had been taken to hospital.

"He [the mascot] was running around and everybody was booing him, so I said, ‘You know what? Let me go tackle him,'" Adams told ESPN. 

"I didn’t hit him that hard, man. All jokes aside, I didn’t hit him that hard. I don’t know what’s really going on, but they did tell me he’s in the hospital.

“My intention was never to hurt him. it was all about just a joke but I definitely want to check on him and make sure everything is good.

"At the end of the day we were out here just having fun and it wasn’t nothing intentionally to try to hurt the guy."

Adams in action for the Jets. © AFP / Getty Images / Sarah Stier

He appeared much less concerned in a separate interview, in which he was filmed saying: "They're not happy with me right now. The NFL is calling my phone, blowing me up, saying that I put him in the hospital so I gotta go check on him, make sure he's OK.

"But do I regret it? No!"

Adams took stick from some online, including prominent pundit Skipp Bayless. 

The Patriots – who are gearing up for Super Bowl LIII against the Los Angeles Rams on February 4 – later told CBS Boston that the mascot was just “sore.” 

There are also reports that the mascot merely sought medical attention on-site, rather than being taken to hospital. 

Pat was seen back at Pro Bowl training on Thursday, although it’s unclear whether it was the same person in the costume.

Adams may well have been taking a leaf out of heavyweight boxer Deontay Wilder’s book. The WBC champion broke a mascot’s jaw when appearing on TV last year, flooring him with a ferocious right hand.