Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin collapsed on the field during a game between the Bills and the Cincinnati Bengals at Paycor Stadium on Monday night. The game was temporarily postponed and the 24-year-old safety was taken to a nearby hospital by ambulance.
Hamlin collapsed after performing a tackle on Bengals WR Tee Higgins. He briefly stood back after the stunt but then fell backward. Referees immediately called for medical attention for Hamlin. Paramedics performed CPR on Hamlin for around ten minutes and even used an automated external defibrillator (AED).
Several sports broadcasting channels, including ESPN, showed the entire incident. Hamlin’s teammates, including QB Josh Allen and WR Stefon Diggs, looked emotional while watching the paramedics attempt to save Hamlin from the sideline.
On early Tuesday, the Bills published an official statement explaining that Hamlin had suffered a cardiac arrest.
“His heartbeat was restored on the field and he was transferred to the UC Medical Center for further testing and treatment,”
the official statement read. “He is currently sedated and listed in critical condition.”
Buffalo Bills
2023-01-03 02:16
The thoughts and prayers of all of Bills Mafia are supporting you, Damar. 🙏 https://t.co/lDWNAOEPX4
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Aftermath
Bills coach Sean McDermott and Bengals coach Zac Taylor had a 20-minute discussion with NFL officials following Hamlin’s collapse. NFL, the only entity authorized to stop a game, then announced a temporary suspension of Monday night’s game.
Troy Vincent, the executive vice president of football operations at the NFL, said that the coaches and players seemed “traumatized” during the suspension discussion. According to Vincent, the Bills will return to Buffalo while some players have decided to stay behind to monitor Hamlin’s condition.
Many public figures have taken to Twitter to offer sympathy for Hamlin, including Los Angeles Lakers superstar Lebron James. King James applauded the NFL’s quick decision to suspend the game.
Hamlin joined the Bills as a sixth-round draft pick in 2021. Coach McDermott picked him as a starter for Week 3 this season and he had started for Buffalo since then. So far in the season, Hamlin has posted 88 tackles, a forced fumble and 1.5 sacks.
There has not been any update about when the game between the Bills and the Bengals will resume.
NFL
2023-01-03 03:11
https://t.co/Q5xPxUZpxH
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