Terrelle Pryor was stabbed with a kitchen knife, lost 3.5 liters of blood and was within "minutes" of dying after the scuffle with his GF ... this according to the NFL player's attorney.
In a press conference with media members Wednesday, Stephen Colafella described the state Pryor was in after a fight in his apartment with Shalaya Briston on Nov. 30 -- and he says the scene was grim.
Colafella told reporters Pryor had a "very deep" stab wound above his left pec that just missed a major artery ... but hit a big vain.
Colafella said Pryor was also stabbed in the left shoulder area ... which contributed to the guy losing a total of 3.5 liters of blood.
FYI -- an adult Pryor's size has roughly 5.5 total liters of blood in their body.
Colafella said Pryor was on the verge of death but is now expected to recover. He's unsure if the injuries will threaten his NFL career.
As for the events that led up to the stabbing ... Colafella said Pryor was nothing more than a victim in the fight -- and says the guy was essentially attacked in his own home by Briston and 2 other women.
According to Colafella, Pryor, Briston and friends had gone out to dinner ... and after a small disagreement, Pryor decided to head home while the others stayed out to party.
Colafella says Pryor went to sleep ... but was awakened by Briston and two of her friends outside of his apartment -- and when he tried to get them to leave, all hell broke loose.
Colafella says one of the women struck him in the face ... and in the ensuing tussle, Briston grabbed a kitchen knife and stabbed the 30-year-old twice.
Colafella says after they took him to the hospital, they "shoved" him out of the car onto the sidewalk and attempted to flee.
As for their claim that Briston was acting in self-defense... Colafella called BS on that, saying, "It wasn't self-defense, it was attempted murder."
Colafella said he's hoping Pryor will cooperate with authorities and attempt to press charges against the two other women in the altercation.
Briston -- who's been charged with two felonies for the altercation -- is still behind bars after being denied bail early Wednesday morning.
Pryor, meanwhile, was hit with a misdemeanor assault charge for his alleged role in the fight ... but Colafella says Pryor was arraigned at the hospital Wednesday and released on $25,000 bond.
Both Pryor and Briston have court hearings on the case scheduled for Dec. 12.