Monday night’s matchup between the Buffalo Bills and the Cincinnati Bengals was one of the most anticipated games of the NFL season.
But midway through the first quarter, a terrifying scene unfolded that suddenly made football seem completely unimportant.
Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin collided with Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins on what first appeared to be a routine tackle.
Hamlin rose to his feet but then collapsed and lost consciousness.
Paramedics were rushed onto the field to administer CPR as both fans and players realized with horror that this was no mere concussion.
Moments later, an ambulance arrived on the field, and Bills and Bengals players formed a circle around Hamlin as paramedics worked to restore his heartbeat.
Eventually, Hamlin’s condition stabilized to the point that he was able to be removed from the field and taken to the University of Cincinnati Medical Center, where he is currently sedated and listed in critical condition.
In an NFL first, both teams decided that the only course of action was to suspend play for the evening so that the focus of the sports world could remain on Hamlin, where it belongs.
For several hours after he collapsed, information about Hamlin’s condition was frighteningly scarce.
At 1:48 am Tuesday morning, however, the Buffalo Bills media department issued the following statement:
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“Damar Hamlin suffered a cardiac arrest following a hit in the Buffalo Bills’ game versus the Cincinnati Bengals.
“His heartbeat was restored on the field and he was transferred to the University of Cincinnati Medical Center for further testing and treatment. He is currently sedated and listed in critical condition.”
On the team website, the Bills PR department encouraged fans to pray for Hamlin adding:
“The team and all of the sports world continue to pray for his recovery. Get well soon Damar!”
Officials initially called for the game to be resumed following a five-minute warmup period.
However, after discussing the situation with Bills coach Sean McDermott and Bengals coach Zac Taylor, a decision was reached to suspend play until an update was received regarding Hamlin’s condition.
Eventually, all parties involved agreed that the game should be rescheduled.
Hamlin’s mother was on hand for the game, and she was able to join her son in the ambulance as he was transported to the hospital.
Hamlin, a second-year player out of the University of Pittsburgh was promoted to starter early in the 2022 season following an injury to Bills safety Micah Hyde.
We will have further updates on the 24-year-old’s condition as more information becomes available.
For now, we’d like to add our voices to the chorus of millions wishing Hamlin a full and speedy recovery.