Welker says his injured neck is 'OK' after Patriots' loss to Lions

New England Patriots wide receiver Wes Welkertold the Boston Herald he was "OK" after sustaining a neck injury during Saturday night's preseason game.

Welker apparently was injured while tackling Detroit Lions safety Ricardo Silva on an interception return during the second quarter of a 34-10 loss.

The Patriots announced Welker had a neck injury during the game but didn't give any updates afterward.

Welker was New England's leading receiver last season, catching 86 passes for 848 yards. He caught a 44-yard touchdown pass from Tom Brady in the second quarter Saturday for the Patriots' first touchdown of the game.

"He's a tough guy," Brady told the Herald. "There's nobody tougher than Wes Welker. He's mentally, physically, he's as good as there is. He's a huge part of our offense."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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