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Our live coverage of NFL star Damar Hamlin has moved here.
The US side of Niagara Falls was lit up in blue on Tuesday night in support for Damar Hamlin and the Buffalo Bills.
The falls, which sit on the US-Canada border, were illuminated from 9:00 p.m. to 9:15 p.m. ET, according to a post on Twitter.
It’s just one of several sites nationwide that adopted the Bills colors after Hamlin’s collapse Monday night.
The Bills’ home city of Buffalo in upstate New York, located just 20 miles south of Niagara Falls, lit its city hall blue on Tuesday.
And in Cincinnati — where Hamlin collapsed mid-game against the Bengals — several buildings were lit up blue, including banks and the football stadium.
Damar Hamlin’s friend and marketing representative Jordon Rooney described the 24-year-old player as “someone who always looks out for others.”
“He’s someone who is selfless. He’s charismatic. He’s super caring. He’s always looking out for others,” Rooney told CNN. “It doesn’t matter how he’s feeling, what went on that day, he’s giving himself to others to make sure other people in the room feel welcome, feel appreciated, feel inspired.”
After Hamlin’s collapse Monday night, a GoFundMe toy drive he organized saw a surge in donations, with more than $5.6 million now pledged by more than 191,000 donors.
Rooney said Hamlin started the Chasing M’s Foundation in college before his NFL contract. He had sponsored a toy drive, a back-to-school program, summer program and summer camp.
“His foundation, Chasing M’s foundation, really helps to support young people chasing their dreams in Pittsburgh,” Rooney said.
Buffalo Bills offensive tackle Dion Dawkins expressed gratitude for the NFL’s decision to postpone Monday night’s game following teammate Damar Hamlin’s injury.
Hamlin suffered cardiac arrest and collapsed on the field mid-game in Cincinnati. The game was suspended with nearly 6 minutes left in the first quarter and later was officially postponed – an unusual move for a league that often resumes play even after severe injuries.
Dawkins told CNN’s Wolf Blitzer on Tuesday that he’s “truly blessed” players weren’t forced to keep playing.
“The fact that we did not have to go back out there on that field and play just shows that there is care, and that’s all we can ever ask for is that we get treated as people,” Dawkins said. “Because most people just treat us as athletes, and as superstars, and some people like celebrities, but in that moment they treated us like people. And being treated as a person that is cared for, it’s a beautiful feeling. And I’m thankful that I was treated as a person and so was the rest of my teammates because at the end of the day, we are people. And we have feelings, we have emotions, we cry, we hurt. And we have families, and they hurt and they cry. We’re individuals that are imperfect and the world wants us to be perfect, and I’m thankful that the NFL has definitely put us first.”
While wearing a hat emblazoned with the name of Hamlin’s clothing company and charitable toy drive, “Chasing M’s,” Dawkins described his teammate as a fighter.
He added:
“And he’s fighting, and he’s going to keep fighting. And we know our teammate, and he is one of the strongest guys, so he’s going to keep fighting and he’s going to make it. And he’s just going to keep pushing and keep pushing because that’s what we’re all built for and that’s what he’s been built for.”
Damar Hamlin’s uncle Dorrian Glenn said his nephew is “flipped over on his stomach” in the hospital to help with the blood on his lungs.
Doctors said that Hamlin is on his stomach to help take the pressure off the lungs, so they don’t have to work as hard, Glenn told CNN on Tuesday.
The next step is to get Hamlin, who is still sedated on a ventilator, to breathe on his own, he added.
Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin still was sedated Tuesday night after he suffered a cardiac arrest Monday during an NFL game, his uncle Dorrian Glenn told CNN outside of the University of Cincinnati hospital.
“I’m not a crier, but I’ve never cried so hard in my life. Just to know, like, my nephew basically died on the field and they brought him back to life,” Glenn said Tuesday.
“They sedated him just to give a better chance for him to just continue to heal better. We are just taking it day by day. It seems like he’s trending upwards in a positive way,” Glenn said, asking people to continue to pray for his nephew.
Hamlin’s heartbeat was restored on the field as staff tended to him, the Bills have said, before he was taken to the University of Cincinnati Medical Center. Hamlin was resuscitated only once, a family spokesman clarified Wednesday, not twice, as his uncle told CNN on Tuesday.
Hamlin still is in critical condition after the 24-year-old collapsed on the field during Monday night’s game in Cincinnati, his team said Tuesday, a stunning moment that left players weeping, praying and embracing as their teammate was taken away by ambulance. Hamlin spent the night in the intensive care unit at the medical center, where he remained Tuesday, the team said.
“They sedated him just to give a better chance for him to just continue to heal better. We are just taking it day by day. It seems like he’s trending upwards in a positive way,” Glenn said asking people to continue to send prayers for Hamlin.
Glenn said that Hamlin did sustain some damage to his lungs and he’s on a ventilator to help with his breathing and to take some of the strain off of his lungs.
Glenn said both of Hamlin’s parents are by his side and were at the game when he collapsed.
Editor’s Note: This story had been updated to reflect the number of times Hamlin was resuscitated based on information from a family spokesperson and his uncle. Read the latest update here.
Buffalo Bills offensive tackle Dion Dawkins said the team has faced a lot of sadness since teammate Damar Hamlin suffered cardiac arrest Monday and collapsed mid-game on the field.
However, there are “happy spirits” and “happy prayers” for Hamlin, he told CNN’s Wolf Blitzer on Tuesday.
“We’re all devastated. When things like this happen, it’s a shock to all of us. It’s a dramatically unique thing that has happened and we’re all going through it together and, honestly, the entire world is. Everybody that has seen it, our whole country, every football fan, everybody who’s not even a part of football has seen and heard this story. So we’re all handling it in different ways, but it’s a unique situation.”
He described the moment he realized the severity of his teammate’s injury Monday night.
“You kind of look around and you kind of see the medical staff doing their job, and you know when it’s like something minor like someone is down, but they’re sitting up, the guys are moving at a nice pace,” Dawkins explained.
“But when things like this are going on, like then they’re waving really fast and calling guys on the field and calling for the elite medical staff, that’s when you really realize that something is really, really wrong. And this was one of the first experiences for myself where something like this has happened in this type of way, where it silenced an entire stadium that was at an uproar half a play earlier.”
Buffalo Bills players and staff are still processing what they witnessed Monday night when safety Damar Hamlin suffered cardiac arrest and collapsed on the field mid-game against the Cincinnati Bengals, according to a source within the team.
The Bills didn’t land in Buffalo until 3:30 a.m. ET on Tuesday after they watched their teammate need to have his heartbeat restored on the field.
“Everyone is exhausted,” the source told CNN.
it comes on top of a series of difficult situations faced by the team, including having to deal with the mass shooting which killed 10 people and wounded three at a Buffalo grocery store in May, the deaths of at least 39 people in Erie County, New York, due to the Buffalo blizzard, having their November home game moved to Detroit and getting stuck in Chicago during Christmas time, the source said.
As for Hamlin, the Bills are in a “wait-and-see mode,” including the team’s medical staff, the source said.
The Bills have not discussed any specific ways to help the family through this time as they are hoping there will be recovery, the source said.
The team is still determining how it will handle its typical, weekly media availability.
As of now, it is a day-to-day determination. “We will see what the appetite might be for anyone to speak,” the source added.
All 32 NFL teams have changed their Twitter profile pictures to support Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin who suffered a cardiac arrest and collapsed on the field during Monday night’s game in Cincinnati.
The profile picture reads “Pray for Damar” along with the number 3, which is the number displayed on Hamlin’s jersey.
Tennessee Titans Rashad Weaver talked about his friend Damar Hamlin on Tuesday, noting that they have been close for years.
Both Hamlin and Weaver signed with the University of Pittsburgh in 2016 and left the school for the draft in 2021.
“That’s a guy I talk to, whether it be on social media, text, Snapchat, Twitter, anything, at least probably once a week, constantly just telling each other how we see each other doing our thing each week, playing,” Weaver said.
He said he was watching the Monday night game between the Buffalo Bills and the Cincinnati Bengals but initially missed the incident in which Hamlan collapsed.
But after seeing the replay, he was holding his breath, “like everybody else” and trying to figure out what happened, Weaver said.
University of Pittsburgh head football coach Pat Narduzzi released a statement following Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin’s injury on Monday. Hamlin played his college ball at Pitt.
“Damar, we love you. We are praying for you. Pittsburgh’s always had your back. And now it’s obvious the entire country has your back, too.”
On Monday night, Pitt’s football team tweeted that Hamlin “is the best of us.”
Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin, 24, remains in critical condition Tuesday after suffering cardiac arrest mid-game on Monday night, his team said.
Hamlin collapsed during the game, and his heartbeat was restored on the field, the Bills said. He was taken to a Cincinnati hospital.
The NFL said the game between the Bills and the Cincinnati Bengals will not resume this week and that no decision has been made about playing it at a later date.
If you’re just reading in now, here’s what you need to know:
An update posted on Damar Hamlin’s 2020 GoFundMe campaign said they are thankful for the “renewed support” for the fundraiser following his injury during Monday’s game.
“If you would like to show your support and contribute to Damar’s community initiatives and his current fight, this is the place to do so. This is the only current fund that is being used by the Hamlin Family,” the post said.
As of 2:15 p.m. ET on Tuesday, the GoFundMe had more than $4.4 million worth of donations.
The fundraiser was initially established in 2020 to support fundraising for Hamlin’s Chasing M’s Foundation, the post said.
“However, it has received renewed support in light of Damar’s current battle and we can’t thank all of you enough. Your generosity and compassion mean the world to us,” the update said.
Leigh C. Lehman, director of communications for GoFundMe, told CNN in an email, “I can confirm the update was posted on behalf of the family and we are in touch with their representatives.”
The foundation supports toy drives, back-to-school drives, kids camps and more.
In a memo sent to all NFL teams on Tuesday, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell shared a brief update on Damar Hamlin’s health status and outlined the decisions made since the injury occurred on Monday night.
The memo, obtained by CNN, says Hamlin remains in the ICU, with Goodell noting the league is in “regular contact” with the medical team providing care for the Bills safety.
Read the full memo:
“During last night’s game between the Buffalo Bills and Cincinnati Bengals, Bills safety Damar Hamlin collapsed on the field. Damar experienced cardiac arrest and was promptly resuscitated by on-site club physicians and independent medical personnel, all of whom are highly trained in implementing the plans for medical emergencies. Damar was stabilized and transported to the University of Cincinnati Medical Center, a Level One trauma center, where he remains in the ICU.
After speaking with both teams and NFLPA leadership, I decided to postpone last night’s game and have our focus remain on Damar and his family. We are in regular contact with both clubs and with the medical team caring for Damar and will share additional information as we receive it.
Earlier today, the Head of Player Engagement and Team Clinician for each club received information from Dr. Nyaka NiiLampti about mental health and support resources that are available to your players and staff. Additional resources including on-site services can be available for any club that wishes this assistance. If your club would like to make use of these additional resources, please have your Player Engagement lead or Team Clinician contact Dr. NiiLampti.
A short time ago, and after discussions with the two teams and the NFLPA, we advised Buffalo and Cincinnati that last night’s game will not be resumed this week. No decision has been made regarding the possible resumption of the game at a later date and we have not announced any changes to this weekend’s schedule. We will promptly advise all clubs of any decisions that are made regarding these matters. If you have any questions in the meantime, please call me or any of our senior staff.”
On Tuesday, the Buffalo Bills updated their Twitter profile to include an image of Damar Hamlin’s number 3 jersey.
The team noted the change with a tweet that read: “#NewProfilePic.”
The Bills’ profile picture also currently reads: “Pray For Damar.”
See the tweet:
It’s been over 18 months since Christian Eriksen collapsed on the pitch at Euro 2020 after suffering a cardiac arrest.
The Danish midfielder received life-saving treatment during his country’s game against Finland in June 2021, eventually being resuscitated and taken to hospital.
The players on the pitch, those inside the stadium and fans around the world held their breath as Eriksen’s teammates linked arms to hide his fight for survival.
They were scenes that bore similarities with Monday night when Buffalo Bills player Damar Hamlin collapsed on the field.
Like Eriksen, Hamlin also suffered a cardiac arrest. According to the Bills, his heartbeat was restored on the field and the 24-year-old remains in a “critical condition” at a Cincinnati hospital.
Buffalo Bills team trainers got to Hamlin within 10 seconds of his collapse, similar to the team doctors who had saved Eriksen’s life.
Read more here.
The Buffalo Bills will not conduct any media availability on Tuesday at the team’s headquarters in Orchard Park, New York, the Bills’ communications team said.
The NFL Communications Department tweeted Tuesday that it will not resume the game between the Cincinnati Bengals and Buffalo Bills after Bills safety Damar Hamlin collapsed on the field Monday night due to cardiac arrest.
“The NFL has made no decision regarding the possible resumption of the game at a later date,” it added.
Here’s the full statement:
Damar Hamlin remains hospitalized in the intensive care unit in critical condition, the Buffalo Bills tweeted Tuesday.
“Damar Hamlin spent last night in the intensive care unit and remains there today in critical condition at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center,” the team tweeted. “We are grateful and thankful for the outpouring of support we have received thus far.”
The 24-year-old safety was hospitalized after he suffered a cardiac arrest and collapsed mid-game against the Cincinnati Bengals on Monday night.
Cincinnati Bengals President Mike Brown said “the human side of our sport became paramount” following Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin’s cardiac arrest during the Monday night game between the two teams.
“First and foremost, the Bengals continue to send thoughts and prayers to Damar Hamlin and his family,” he said in a statement released by the team on Tuesday.
“Our hearts are with everyone in this unprecedented time — what we can do is support one another,” Brown said.
The game was postponed by the NFL.
“Last night was supposed to be a great night for the NFL and a great showcase for our hometown. Instead, the human side of our sport became paramount … and in that moment, humanity and love rose to the forefront,” he continued.
Some NFL teams have canceled their pre-scheduled Tuesday media availabilities as Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin remains in critical condition after suffering cardiac arrest on the field Monday night.
The Houston Texans told CNN the team canceled its Tuesday player availability and have given their players the day off from football activities.
The Indianapolis Colts postponed its Tuesday media availability for some assistant coaches out of respect for Hamlin, a spokesperson told CNN.
CNN does not have an exact number of teams that have opted to cancel Tuesday availability, and some teams have proceeded with previously scheduled sessions with reporters Tuesday.
One of those teams that moved forward was the Pittsburgh Steelers. Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin, currently speaking with reporters, said he has “got a lot of respect and love” for Hamlin. He’s known the Bills safety since Hamlin was around 12 years old, Tomlin said.
The NFL Players Association put out a new statement on Tuesday afternoon saying: “Our focus remains on Damar.”
The union said in a tweet that it continues to be in touch with the teams and the NFL “to ensure that Bills and Bengals players have every resource” available to support them during this time.
In a follow-up tweet, the NFLPA encouraged its players to reach out if they need someone to talk to and linked to the union’s mental health and counseling page on its website.
See the tweet:
The 2020 GoFundMe organized by NFL player Damar Hamlin has crossed the $4 million mark.
Since Hamlin suffered a cardiac arrest during the Buffalo Bills and Cincinnati Bengals game Monday night, donations have poured into the online campaign he began in 2020.
Over 150,000 donations have been submitted to the site.
Hamlin’s friend and marketing representative Jordon Rooney tweeted Tuesday that “donations will support his foundation, which does toy drives, back to school drive[s], kids camps and more.”
Fox Sports host Skip Bayless apologized for hosting his FS1 show “Undisputed” Tuesday morning following a controversial tweet — which he also said he was sorry for — about Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin suffering a medical emergency during Monday’s game.
His co-host, former NFL player Shannon Sharpe, did not appear.
Hamlin collapsed mid-game during the game against the Cincinnati Bengals and is currently in critical condition in an area hospital after suffering cardiac arrest.
During the incident, Bayless tweeted: “No doubt the NFL is considering postponing the rest of this game - but how? This late in the season, a game of this magnitude is crucial to the regular-season outcome … which suddenly seems so irrelevant.”
That sparked outrage on Twitter from a number of current and former athletes. Former NFL player Jacob Hester told Bayless to “read the room, and have a heart.” Vikings cornerback Patrick Peterson, former NFL player Darelle Revis and NBA analyst Kendrick Perkins, among many others, also criticized Bayless.
Bayless later followed up with a tweet apologizing for what he said was a misunderstanding.
“Nothing is more important than that young man’s health. That was the point of my last tweet. I’m sorry if that was misunderstood but his health is all that matters,” Bayless tweeted.
Bayless didn’t acknowledge the tweet at the beginning of Tuesday’s “Undisputed,” but appeared emotional about the incident.
“I apologize for what for what we’re going to set out to do here today, if it offends anyone because we’re going to try to do the show pretty much as usual we do the show,” he said. “I’ll admit up front that I’m still shook up what happened last night to Damar Hamlin. In fact, I’m still wrecked. In fact, I’m not sure I’m capable of doing this show today,” he said.
He added that after “barely sleeping on it,” he decided to carry on with the talk show.
“We wrestled through much of the night whether to even do a show today because it felt like in our minds, we almost can’t win with this because the last thing we want to do is come off as insensitive to what this young man is going through in a life or death situation,” he said.
It was unclear why Sharpe was not on the program, though Bayless has clashed repeatedly with Sharpe, a former NFL tight end and a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, in recent weeks.
Bayless said Sharpe would return to the show Wednesday.
The NFL postponed Monday’s game after coaches from both teams refused to continue the game, saying details on next steps would come at an “appropriate time.”
Damar Hamlin’s family has released a statement after the 24-year-old Buffalo Bills safety collapsed and suffered a cardiac arrest on the field at a Monday night game.
“On behalf of our family, we want to express our sincere gratitude for the love and support shown to Damar during this challenging time,” the statement read. “We are deeply moved by the prayers, kind words, and donations from fans around the country.”
The statement was released on Twitter via Hamlin’s friend Jordan Rooney.
The family also thanked the first responders and health care team that are caring for the NFL player at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center.
“We feel so blessed to be part of the Buffalo Bills organization and to have their support. We also want to thank Coach Taylor and the Bengals for everything they’ve done,” the statement goes on. “Your generosity and compassion mean the world to us.”
The statement does not provide an update on Hamlin’s condition, but says they “will release updates as soon as we have them.”
Here’s the full statement:
Buffalo Bills fan Andrew Irlbacher, who was inside the stadium in Cincinnati on Monday night, called Damar Hamlin collapsing on the field “surreal.”
When the moment happened in the stadium, Irlbacher said fans were in “confused awe, not knowing what happened.”
“It’s still all so new, you know, it’s still fresh,” Irlbacher told CNN’s Adrienne Broaddus Tuesday. “It’s still fresh in my mind.”
“It was surreal,” he added. “Everybody in the stadium there kind of just, you know just took a breath.”
Irlbacher said he praying for Hamlin and believes he is going to “pull through.”
CNN’s Michelle Watson contributed to this report.
One day after it indefinitely postponed the game between the Buffalo Bills and Cincinnati Bengals following Bills’ player Damar Hamlin suffering a cardiac arrest on the field, the NFL still has not announced any plans for the future of this matchup.
CNN Sports anchor Andy Scholes reported that the NFL had a conference call last night shortly after midnight and didn’t provide any updates on the game between the Bills and the Bengals.
Scholes notes “there are really not a lot of great solutions” as the NFL regular season is scheduled to end on Sunday — and last night’s game was important for the standings in the AFC conference.
During the overnight conference call, the NFL did not provide any further update on Hamlin’s condition. Earlier, the NFL said Hamlin was in critical condition.
Troy Vincent, the NFL executive vice president of football operations, said during the overnight call that some of Hamlin’s teammates will stay back in Cincinnati while others will travel to Buffalo on Tuesday morning.
When asked about the team’s travel plans following the postponed game, Vincent said the league was notified that some members of the team would travel to Buffalo Tuesday morning.
“There were a handful of players that wanted to stay back with their teammate. And then where were others that had planned on returning back to Orchard Park (New York),” Vincent said.
On Tuesday afternoon, the NFL Players Association tweeted that its “focus remains on Damar.”
The union added it is offering support to the Buffalo Bills and Cincinnati Bengals players.
The 24-year-old safety remains in critical condition in a Cincinnati hospital, his team said.
Hamlin’s heartbeat was restored on the field before he was taken to the hospital, the Bills said.
The NFL postponed the game indefinitely, saying details on next steps would come at an “appropriate time.”
Former St. Louis Blues defenseman Chris Pronger, who collapsed mid-game in 1998 in Detroit after getting hit in the chest by a slapshot, tweeted his support for the Bills’ Damar Hamlin on Tuesday.
“Prayers that Damar Hamlin can have the same outcome that I was fortunate to have with my incident. Our thoughts and prayers go out to Damar, his family, teammates and the greater NFL community during this incredibly scary time,” Pronger said.
After being hit by the puck, Pronger lay unconscious on the ice for 20 seconds, according to NHL.com. He went to a local hospital in Detroit following the scary injury where he spent the night. According to NHL.com, the Hall of Famer was back playing again in four days.
See the tweet:
A former NFL player said the league is “smarter” than it was years ago.
Speaking on CNN Tuesday, Steve DeOssie, who began his career in the NFL in the mid-1980s said, “any changes to the game are greeted with all sorts of skepticism.”
DeOssie said following Damar Hamlin’s cardiac arrest on the field Monday night, his son Zak, who also played in the NFL and was a former vice president of the NFL Players Association, pointed out to his father that the league has emergency scenarios set up now for these situations.
“They have scenarios now in place in case of certain scenario emergencies like this. So whereas probably 10 years ago, they might not have had some of these situations in place,” he said.
DeOssie said when changes were made to contact rules during the game, some fans thought “the league was getting soft,” but DeOssie countered.
“It’s a smarter league now. It’s smarter, they’ve eliminated some of the things that we were allowed to do or were victim of back in the day,” he said. “It’s smart and it’s going to get smarter.”
“You’ll get blowback from diehard fans if you try to change the essence — the physical nature — of the NFL,” he said.
Dr. Sanjay Gupta, CNN’s chief medical correspondent, noted this morning that it’s very important that medical personnel were able to restart Damar Hamlin’s heart on the field while giving him CPR immediately after he suffered a cardiac arrest.
“Just the time is of such critical importance here in terms of taking care of someone like this. The response from the medical team was fast and seconds and minutes matter in a situation like this,” Gupta said.
Earlier today, the Buffalo Bills issued a statement confirming Hamlin’s heartbeat was “restored” on the field:
“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.”
Gupta pointed out that it was crucial to restart the heart and resume “the process of normal pumping.” He said it sounds like that happened which he called “an optimistic sign,” adding Hamlin is still in critical condition at this time.
Damar Hamlin’s mom was at the game Monday night between the Buffalo Bills and Cincinnati Bengals, family friend and marketing representative Jordon Rooney told CNN Tuesday.
“He has a strong family. He has the ideal support system. They’re optimistic,” Rooney said during an appearance on CNN This morning. “Damar is someone that you would trust and believe to come out on top of anything that he is faced with.”
“They know Damar. I know Damar. We’re confident that no matter what he’s facing, he is going to come out on top,” Rooney said.
Rooney went on to say that Hamlin is “more than an athlete.”
“He’s in the NFL because he wants to be a role model,” Rooney said. “Part of what drives Damar is to be an example for the other young people in his community.”
He said Hamlin is someone who “truly embodies” what it is to be somebody “you want to look up to.”
“I mean, toy drives, back-to-school drives, just giving people time out of his day. Damar is the ideal professional athlete,” Rooney said.
CNN’s Michelle Watson contributed to this report.
Former National Football League player Donté Stallworth noted the difference in the league’s attitude to player’s safety as witnessed in its reaction to Buffalo Bills’ Damar Hamlin’s collapse at Monday night’s game.
“There’s been instances where players have been carted off, players have been taken off by ambulance and within five or 10 minutes the game has resumed,” Stallworth told CNN on Tuesday morning. “We’ve never seen a game postponed because of an injury. Usually, games are postponed because of weather or some other kind of event that is not an injury.”
Indianapolis Colts safety Rodney McLeod Jr. said playing in the National Football League is a dream and it takes sacrifice, but the price shouldn’t be someone’s life.
“For us, the dream is real,” he told CNN on Tuesday morning. “Even though we understand the dream comes with great sacrifice, we never want that sacrifice to be paid from the expense of anyone’s life.”
This comes after 24-year-old Buffalo Bills Safety Damar Hamlin suffered a cardiac arrest and collapsed on the field during the first quarter of Monday night’s game between the Bills and Cincinnati Bengals. He is currently in critical condition, his team says.
“As players, injuries are always our deepest fear. … But often, you know, we tend to try to remove any of those thoughts the moment we hit the field,” he said, adding that it’s common to see injuries like ligament tears, muscle strains, broken bones and concussions among others. “We’ve become very numb to it, unfortunately.”
However, Hamlin’s collapse was unprecedented, he said. “What we saw last night was something that we’ve never have seen before. In my 11 years in the NFL, I never experienced anything like that, and that brings the reality [of] the sport to life.”
He wished Hamlin, his family and his teammates well and added that he thinks the NFL handled the incident well.
“I think they did a very good job. They put the concern of their players first,” McLeod Jr. said. “[The teams] were not in the state of mind to be able to finish that game.”
Jordon Rooney, a friend and marketing representative of Damar Hamlin, said he’s confident in Hamlin’s ability to bounce back after collapsing on the field from cardiac arrest during a game on Monday.
“He’s a fighter all the time; I mean if there’s anyone that you know I have confidence in making it out of anything, it’s him. He is someone who always figures out a way to come out on top,” Rooney told CNN’s Adrienne Broaddus Tuesday.
“There’s a lot, first as his friend – just wanting to make sure he’s OK, and then you know as someone who’s supporting the family, wanting to protect them and wanting to own the narrative around Damar – I think it’s important for people to know who Damar is,” Rooney said.
In his last conversation with Hamlin, Rooney said they were talking about his charitable contributions to the community.
“Our last conversation, it was talking about his toy drive. We had two toy drives – so talking about the success of it, he was excited,” Rooney said. He also called Hamlin “strategic” and “personable.”
Rooney said while he understands the fans desire to know more about Hamlin’s status, he’s asking for patience.
“Be patient right now,” Rooney said. “This is a human being who has a family and … his wellbeing is what’s most important.”
Rooney said he’s not in an official capacity to speak on Hamlin’s current medical condition.
“To be honest, I can’t speak on the medical stuff – like I’m just not well-versed enough to be able to give an expert opinion there,” Rooney said.
Despite the uncertainty of Hamlin’s condition, Rooney said he’s already looking forward to seeing Hamlin again.
“I’m excited for him to bounce back from this, because Damar is someone who, he will use things like this, adversity, and he’ll make sure he inspires plenty of other people along the way,” he said.
In an earlier interview, Rooney said he met Hamlin when the player interned for him and the two have been good friends ever since.
“I actually know Damar because him being a division one football player, reached out to me to be an intern for me. Which is something that’s pretty unique and the reason why is cause he’s always interested in being an entrepreneur and wanted to build his own brand,” Rooney told ABC’s Robin Roberts on “Good Morning America.” “He interned for me and then we just became super, super close so now, you know, we’re partners in a business together. We collaborate on a lot of things and we’re really good friends.”
Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin, 24, suffered a cardiac arrest and collapsed on the field during the first quarter of Monday night’s game between the Bills and Cincinnati Bengals, his team said. It’s not clear what caused his cardiac arrest.
Cardiac arrest results from electrical disturbances that cause the heart to suddenly stop beating properly.
In cardiac arrest, death can result quickly if steps aren’t taken immediately. “Cardiac arrest may be reversed if CPR is performed and a defibrillator shocks the heart and restores a normal heart rhythm within a few minutes,” according to the American Heart Association.
More than 350,000 cardiac arrests occur outside a hospital in the United States each year, the AHA said.
A sudden, unexpected loss of heart function also results in a sudden loss of breathing and consciousness.
Cardiac arrest is not the same as a heart attack, although almost any known heart condition, including heart attack, can cause cardiac arrest.
Unlike cardiac arrest, a heart attack is a circulation problem. When circulation is blocked or cut off in some way and blood is no longer supplied to the heart muscle, this can damage that muscle – it’s commonly described as a heart attack; doctors may refer to it as “myocardial infarction.”
Read more here:
Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin, 24, is in critical condition after collapsing on the field on Monday night during a game against the Cincinnati Bengals. Here’s what we know:
What happened: Moments after getting up from an open field tackle on Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins, Hamlin fell on his back.
Within 10 seconds, Bills team trainers were treating the player. An ambulance was brought onto the field in under five minutes, footage shows, and Hamlin received CPR, according to an ESPN broadcast. He was then taken to hospital.
Hamlin’s status: The player suffered a cardiac arrest following the hit from the tackle, and his heartbeat was restored on the field, the Bills said in a statement on Twitter early Tuesday.
Hamlin was transferred to the University of Cincinnati Medical Center for further testing and treatment, where he is now sedated, the Bills added.
The game: Play was suspended at 5:58 of the first quarter, then the game was officially postponed. The NFL said more details on next steps would come at an “appropriate time,” adding that Hamlin’s wellbeing was the priority.
The team: Some of Hamlin’s teammates stayed in Cincinnati while the rest of the team travels back to Buffalo Tuesday morning. Buffalo is in New York state, near the US-Canada border.
Bills wide receiver Stefon Diggs arrived at the hospital where Hamlin was being treated late Monday night, ESPN’s broadcast showed.
A bit about Hamlin: The 24-year-old Pennsylvania native joined the Bills in 2021 as a sixth-round draft pick from the University of Pittsburgh. He has played every game this season.
According to his Pittsburgh Panthers player bio, he was redshirted — meaning he sat out games while remaining on the team — in 2016 due to injury. The NFL site added that he also missed time due to injuries in 2017 and 2019.
CNN Sports Anchor Coy Wire talked early Tuesday about the unsettling emotions last night’s events had sparked within him, given the similarities between his NFL career and Damar Hamlin’s. Wire played six seasons for the Bills between 2002 and 2007.
“Seeing those images scratched open a lot of mental wounds for me personally. I played six of my NFL seasons there, in Buffalo, in that stadium. I played the same position. I played safety there. I’ve experienced injury, loss of consciousness … I’ve been in situations where an ambulance has come on the field, so it resonates,” Wire told CNN This Morning.
Wire expressed his sympathies with Hamlin’s family and team, but also paused to praise the decision not to resume play after the tragic incident.
Wire recalled two instances when former teammates of his – including former Bills player Kevin Everett – were paralyzed after suffering a trauma during the game.
“In both of those games, ambulances came to the field, there were players huddled, there were tears, there was crying – just like we saw last night. But those games went on. The one last night did not. I think that’s a huge statement that’s being made.”
Wire said he hopes that this “paradigm shift” continues, and begins to “echo down through the collegiate and high school and youth levels.”
Tee Higgins, the Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver who Damar Hamlin tackled seconds before collapsing, has joined dozens of NFL players in publicly sending thoughts and prayers to the Buffalo Bills safety.
“I’m praying that you pull through bro,” Higgins tweeted after the game between the teams was postponed.
A number of Bills and Bengals players sent similar messages, after coming together on the field to pray as an ambulance carried Hamlin to hospital.
“I wanna send a prayer to Damar and his family,” Bengals receiver Ja’Marr Chase wrote. Bills quarterback Josh Allen added: “Please pray for our brother.”
Hamlin “is a kind caring extremely hard worker,” Bills offensive lineman Rodger Saffold said. “He is loyal honest and can always put a smile on your face.”
Teams and individuals around the league followed suit. “Heart is extremely heavy right now … Life is too important. Cherish every moment,” Rams quarterback Baker Mayfield wrote on Twitter.
“Absolutely speechless.. please pull through Damar!” added Steelers outside linebacker TJ Watt.
“This game should’ve been called, nobody is concerned about football right now,” Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray wrote after the injury. The game was initially suspended, and then postponed, following the play on which Hamlin was hurt.
Jessica Pegula, an American tennis player and the daughter of the Bills’ owners, also commented on Hamlin after playing in the United Cup in Australia.
“It’s just terrible. There’s really no words,” Pegula told Reuters. “I’m glad they stopped the game. It brings you back to there’s a lot of bigger things that are more important than sports and games. It was pretty scary.”
Damar Hamlin’s recovery could depend on how long he was in cardiac arrest after he collapsed mid-game Monday night, Dr. Anthony Cardillo, an emergency room specialist, told CNN early Tuesday morning.
Hamlin was playing safety for the Buffalo Bills on Monday night when he suddenly collapsed after a tackle on Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins. Hamlin stood up immediately after the tackle and then fell on his back seconds later.
CPR was administered almost immediately after he collapsed, and medical personnel were able to revive his heartbeat while he was still at the field.
The Bills later said he suffered a cardiac arrest and was in critical condition as of early Tuesday morning at a Cincinnati hospital. Cardiac arrest happens when the heart suddenly stops pumping blood to the body’s organs.
“If you get hit at a very exact moment, it’s within milliseconds … that’s when you’re in cardiac arrest.”
As Hamlin continued to receive treatment Tuesday, Cardillo explained that medical staff will likely slowly start weaning Hamlin off the ventilator over the next 12 to 24 hours to determine whether he can breathe on his own.
CNN’s Christian Edwards contributed reporting.
Kelsey Conway, a reporter who covers the Bengals for the Cincinnati Enquirer, said the scene on the field was “horrifying” after Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin collapsed Monday night.
“It seemed to be very bad when they weren’t moving,” Conway told CNN’s John Berman early Tuesday, referring to medical personnel who were attending to Hamlin.
Conway said based on games she has covered, medical personnel try to move players off the field as quickly as possible. But that wasn’t the case with Hamlin as responders struggled to get him into the ambulance.
As she sat in the stadium’s press box, she could not determine what was happening to Hamlin as medical staff rushed to provide aid.
“It was really unclear what exactly was going on. We knew it had something to do with the heart,” Conway said, adding that visiting Bills players and their head coach were in tears.
“You knew something tragic happened, but you just didn’t know,” she said.
Later, the Bills said Hamlin suffered cardiac arrest and remained in critical condition early Tuesday. Hamlin fell on his back Monday night just moments after standing up from an open field tackle on Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins.
Conway said the NFL’s Emergency Action Plan was activated in response to Hamlin’s collapse. The plan included an ambulance, a nearby highest Level 1 trauma center and airway traffic control, she said.
“They never want things like this to happen, but they are prepared for situations like this. And they were able to get him to better care as quickly as they could,” Conway said. “He had a police escort take him in the ambulance. So, he got there pretty quickly.”
An online toy drive fundraiser started by Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin topped $3 million in donations in the hours after the NFL star collapsed on the field during a game Monday night.
The 24-year-old is in critical condition after suffering a cardiac arrest following a tackle during the first quarter of a game against the Cincinnati Bengals. CPR was administered on the field before he was driven out of the stadium in an ambulance to a Cincinnati hospital.
As fans awaited news on Hamlin’s condition, donations poured in to a GoFundMe fundraiser he started in 2020 to raise money to purchase toys for children, writing at the time, “As I embark on my journey to the NFL, I will never forget where I come from and I am committed to using my platform to positively impact the community that raised me. I created The Chasing M’s Foundation as a vehicle that will allow me to deliver that impact.”
The fundraiser topped $74,000 just one hour after Hamlin’s collapse and quickly grew to $2,033,270 just before 1 a.m. ET Tuesday, then soared to more than $3 million just an hour and 20 minutes later with more than 119,000 donations.
Read more here.
Former NFL player Donté Stallworth told CNN the teams affected Monday have a tough week coming as they try to rally for their next games while reeling from the shock of witnessing Damar Hamlin’s collapse.
Buffalo Bills safety Hamlin is in critical condition in hospital after suffering cardiac arrest when he collapsed mid-game against the Cincinnati Bengals.
“It’s going to be difficult,” Stallworth said. “The only thing that I can even remotely compare it to is when I was a member of the New Orleans Saints in 2005, and Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans and hit the Gulf Coast. We did not want to play … we just weren’t in the right mindset, a lot of the guys wanted to make sure that their families were OK, they wanted to make sure the people in New Orleans were OK.”
Although the game Monday was important for “playoff indications,” the players are likely “more concerned about Damar than anything else,” Stallworth added.
Contact sport: Stallworth said he hadn’t been afraid of physical contact on the field as a player — but that changed once he retired.
“Now I watch the games and I just kind of shriek at every little hit I see,” he said. “My mindset is completely different now that I’ve been removed from the game nine, 10 years. I’m looking at these guys and I’m looking at where they are going to be 10, 15, 30 years down the road as opposed to what’s going to happen the next play.”
Former NFL player Ephraim Salaam said he believes the game between the Cincinnati Bengals and Buffalo Bills was postponed Monday largely because players on both teams were emotionally distraught by Damar Hamlin’s collapse.
“You could see that they were visibly bothered by what was going on on both teams. And I believe it was that reaction from the players that spurred others to realize that this game couldn’t possibly go on,” Salaam told CNN’s John Berman early Tuesday.
“The type of trauma and PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) that comes with watching one of your brothers go down like this and fight for his life live on television. Those are the types of things that you just can’t shake off in 20 minutes and get back to playing.”
Photos from the game show players on the field crying and taking a knee in prayer for Hamlin after his sudden collapse at the Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati.
Salaam noted the game’s postponement speaks to the importance of players’ physical and mental health.
“It is not just about the physical injuries we witness. It is about the mental health. Dealing with the trauma after witnessing something like the Hamlin injury,” Salaam said.
Hamlin, a 24-year-old safety for the Bills, suffered a cardiac arrest moments after tackling Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins. He remains in critical condition as of early Tuesday morning at a Cincinnati hospital.
Damar Hamlin suffered cardiac arrest during the game against the Cincinnati Bengals on Monday night, and remains in critical condition, the Buffalo Bills said in a statement on Twitter in the early hours of Tuesday.
“Damar Hamlin suffered a cardiac arrest following a hit in our game versus the Bengals,” the statement said. “His heartbeat was restored on the field and he was transferred to the UC Medical Center for further testing and treatment. He is currently sedated and listed in critical condition.”
Bob Costas, a CNN contributor and former NBC sportscaster, agreed with the NFL’s move to postpone Monday night’s game following Damar Hamlin’s sudden collapse on the field.
The game could potentially be canceled altogether or be played later, which may cause a scheduling problem in regard to the other games, Costas explained.
Costas noted the scheduling issue is insignificant given Hamlin’s current critical condition.
Hamlin, 24, was playing as a safety for the Buffalo Bills on Monday night when he collapsed on his back during the first quarter seconds after an open field tackle of Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins.
After the game was postponed, Costas explained that if the game is not replayed, some attendees’ tickets may be refunded.
Costas noted that the game’s suspension was for both humane reasons as well as optics.
Politicians and prominent American figures are joining the chorus of well wishers sending prayers to Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin after his collapse mid-game Monday night.
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine also shared a message, saying: “We join everyone in Cincinnati and across this country in praying for this young athlete.”
Bernice King, daughter of civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr., tweeted: “My heart goes out to his family and teammates. The response of both teams reminds us that we are so connected as human beings. We matter to each other.”
Many major athletes have also spoken out, with Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell saying Monday night that “all of us in the locker room” were praying for Hamlin.
As fans wait for news on Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin, who is in critical condition after collapsing on the field during Monday night’s game, a GoFundMe appeal he started to buy toys for children has raised more than $2 million as of early Tuesday morning.
The fundraiser has roughly 83,200 donations to date.
GoFundMe tweeted a link to the fundraiser on Monday night, saying: “Following his injury on the field tonight, fans across the country are showing their support for him and his family by donating to his fundraiser.”
Hamlin created the fundraiser in 2020, saying at the time, “As I embark on my journey to the NFL, I will never forget where I come from and I am committed to using my platform to positively impact the community that raised me.”
Former NFL player Coy Wire said he felt physically ill when he saw Damar Hamlin collapse on the field Monday night.
“Nausea was going to my guts. My heart is still racing. It hits home for me. I played six of my seasons in Buffalo as a safety, same position as Damar,” Wire told CNN’s Laura Coates on Monday night.
Wire, who played 10 seasons in the NFL and is currently a CNN sports anchor, recalled similar instances he witnessed throughout his career where players were injured.
“Two, it’s a reminder that there is progress being made. All the talks about players’ safety. All the lives that have been lost. All the lives that have been altered from players who have played this game. Perhaps they are not in vain.”
Health impact: The NFL has faced intense scrutiny over the way it handles players’ health, especially for its concussion protocols. The sport’s potential danger to players’ physical health has led to a participation decline among children whose parents are concerned about head injuries and the long-term effects of the intense physical contact.
Wire added that NFL’s pause of the game Monday night shows there has been a change, which could lead to a “trickle-down effect.”
“Player safety, our personal health, is now more important than it used to be,” he said. “That’s going to be important to the college level. That’s going to be specifically important to the high school and the youth levels.”
At an open press call late Monday night, NFL leaders shared details on their decision-making process after Damar Hamlin’s mid-game collapse.
“Once the player was down, game stopped” and a pre-planned emergency action plan went into effect, said Troy Vincent, the NFL’s executive vice president of football operations.
“Obviously we saw the coaches, players, and those who tuned into the game all traumatized.”
Vincent, a former NFL cornerback, added that he had no thoughts at the moment about the competition, saying: “Nothing else mattered but the care of Damar.”
Dawn Aponte, the NFL’s chief football administrative officer, said the league was in “constant communication with both teams,” and their decisions were guided by medical advice.
The Buffalo Bills, Hamlin’s team, is returning to Buffalo Tuesday morning, though a handful of players would stay behind, the NFL said. They added that next steps regarding the game would come “at an appropriate time,” but the priority was Hamlin’s wellbeing.
Jeff Miller, the NFL’s executive vice president of communications, said the league does not have an update on Hamlin’s condition beyond what was released earlier. The NFL’s initial statement had said Hamlin was in critical condition at the hospital.
Jeff Miller, the NFL’s executive vice president of communications, said the league does not have an update on Damar Hamlin’s condition beyond what was released earlier Monday.
Miller was talking at the start of a teleconference call on Tuesday morning.
Earlier, the NFL said Hamlin was in critical condition.
Damar Hamlin’s collapse on the field Monday night has turned the spotlight to the long-debated issue of safety in football, which had been heightened following other recent incidents.
“I think it’s possible to make the game safer, but it’s tough to make it completely safe. It can be a violent, brutal game,” said neurosurgeon and CNN’s Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta following Hamlin’s collapse.
Other incidents this season have notably involved Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, who landed in the NFL’s concussion protocol twice within several months.
The 24-year-old was first diagnosed with a concussion in September after being sacked in a game against the Cincinnati Bengals. It came just days after he suffered an apparent head injury and was later allowed to continue playing in a game against the Buffalo Bills on Sept. 25.
His second concussion came on Dec. 25 against the Green Bay Packers.
Over the years, participation in football has declined slightly as research has shown that chronic sports-related exposure to head impacts can cause microstructural damage and alter or impair some brain activity.
However, CNN Sports Correspondent and former NFL player Coy Wire said the Monday night incident — and postponement of the game — showed “there is progress being made.”
“A year ago, five years ago, certainly not 10 years ago, they would not have stopped the game,” he said. “We’re not seeing that right now … there’s been a paradigm shift in terms of player health and safety and how precious our lives are. And that the game is not worth it in the end when it comes to serious issues like this.”
Former NFL player Donté Stallworth said he became concerned about Damar Hamlin’s collapse when he saw the player receiving CPR on the field.
“When I saw Damar fall back to the ground after standing up for a couple seconds, I just knew that it was something wrong,” Stallworth told CNN’s Laura Coates on Monday night.
Hamlin, who plays safety for the Buffalo Bills, collapsed Monday night seconds after an open field tackle on Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins.
Stallworth was watching the game live at Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati when Hamlin collapsed in the first quarter. Stallworth said he grew even more concerned when he heard an announcement saying CPR was being administered.
Stallworth added it’s devastating that Hamlin collapsed, noting he saw players crying as some of them surrounded the Bills safety.
Speaking after the Los Angeles Lakers played Monday night, basketball star Lebron James applauded the decision to postpone the NFL game between the Cincinnati Bengals and Buffalo Bills following Damar Hamlin’s collapse.
“I seen the play, but I don’t know what happened. My thoughts and super prayers go up to the skies above for that kid’s family, for him, for that brotherhood of the NFL, and everybody who’s a part of the NFL family,” James said.
“It’s definitely the right call, by whoever made that call, [NFL commissioner] Roger Goodell or whoever had the authority to make that call to suspend [the game],” he added. “The safety of players in all sports is always the most important. It was a terrible thing to see.”
James added that he was a huge football fan, and: “You never want to see anything like that happen in the type of competition they’re playing in.”
The NFL postponed the game between the Buffalo Bills and Cincinnati Bengals Monday night, saying in a statement that Hamlin was in critical condition at the hospital.
More major athletes and NFL stars have offered their well wishes for Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin, who remains in critical condition in a Cincinnati hospital.
“Praying for you kid,” tweeted basketball icon LeBron James.
Denver Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson tweeted that he was “praying for health and safety.”
Similar messages came from Chicago Bears quarterback Justin Fields, Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson, and free agent Odell Beckham Jr.
The Cincinnati Bengals, who had been playing the Bills before Hamlin’s collapse, tweeted that it was “sending our thoughts and prayers to Damar.”
Buffalo Bills player Stefon Diggs has arrived at the University of Cincinnati Hospital, an ESPN broadcast showed.
His teammate Damar Hamlin was transported to the hospital late Monday after collapsing on the field during a game against the Cincinnati Bengals.
The NFL said in a statement more than an hour ago that Hamlin was in critical condition.
Damar Hamlin, the Buffalo Bills player who collapsed during Monday night’s game, joined the team in 2021 as a sixth-round draft pick.
The 24-year-old Pennsylvania native spent the 2016-20 seasons playing for the University of Pittsburgh.
Hamlin grew up in McKees Rocks, in western Pennsylvania, and attended high school just a few blocks from the Pittsburgh campus, according to his player bio for the Pittsburgh Panthers.
It added that he had redshirted — meaning he sat out on games while remaining on the team — in 2016 due to injury. The NFL site added that he also missed time due to injuries in 2017 and 2019.
According to the Buffalo Bills’ official website, the 6-feet tall, 200 lbs safety played 14 games during his rookie season with the Bills in 2021 and made 15 appearances in 2022.
Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin collapsed on the field during the first quarter of Monday night’s game between the Bills and Cincinnati Bengals.
Hamlin fell on his back just moments after getting up from an open field tackle of Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins.
An ambulance was brought onto the field and he was administered CPR, according to an ESPN broadcast.
Video footage and photos from the ground show team trainers and paramedics rushing to his side on the field within 10 seconds of him collapsing.
Meanwhile, Hamlin’s Bills teammates appeared visibly distressed, huddling together on the field as CPR was administered to him.
Hamlin was then transported by ambulance to a local hospital, where he is now in critical condition, according to a statement from the NFL.
The game was officially postponed, the NFL said.
Former NFL player and CNN reporter Coy Wire expressed shock after the Buffalo Bills’ Damar Hamlin collapsed during Monday night’s game against the Cincinnati Bengals.
“There didn’t seem to be any direct hit to the head or neck area. His head didn’t even look like it got jostled all that much. So, I can’t assume what type of injury this might be,” Wire told CNN’s Anderson Cooper on Monday.
Hamlin fell on his back on the field just moments after standing up following an open field tackle of Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins.
Wire, who played nine seasons in the NFL and currently serves as a CNN sports anchor, said the collapse was shocking.
Visibly emotional, Wire noted that sympathies should be sent to Hamlin’s family and his loved ones.
“I’m trying to keep my composure for you because I think it’s important that we send prayers, think about Damar, think about his family,” Wire told Cooper.
Wire also praised the NFL’s move to suspend the game after Hamlin’s collapse.
“I’m so proud that the NFL has suspended the game because I think maybe 10 years ago, that might not have happened,” he said. “The importance placed on players’ safety nowadays, they stopped the game. I think that’s progress.”
Monday night’s game between the Buffalo Bills and Cincinnati Bengals was postponed after Bills safety Damar Hamlin collapsed mid-game.
Here’s a timeline of events:
Buffalo Bills team trainers got to Damar Hamlin within 10 seconds after he collapsed on the field mid-game, and an ambulance was on the field less than five minutes afterward, video footage shows.
Hamlin received immediate medical attention by “team and independent medical staff and local paramedics,” the NFL said in a statement.
Hamlin is in critical condition in the hospital, with the game officially postponed.
The US sports community was united in expressing concern Monday night after the collapse of Damar Hamlin during the game between the Buffalo Bills and the Cincinnati Bengals.
The Buffalo Bills said:
“The thoughts and prayers of all of Bills Mafia are supporting you, Damar.”
The Cincinnati Bengals said:
“Sending our thoughts and prayers to Damar.”
The NFL Players Association said:
“The NFLPA and everyone in our community is praying for Damar Hamlin. We have been in touch with Bills and Bengals players, and with the NFL. The only thing that matters at this moment is Damar’s health and well being.”
Hamlin’s alma mater, the University of Pittsburgh, said:
“Damar Hamlin is the best of us. We love you, 3. Praying for you.”
Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs quarterback, said:
“Praying hard.. please be okay man. 🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽”
JJ Watt, Arizona Cardinals defensive end, said:
“The game is not important. Damar Hamlin’s life is important. Please be ok. Please.”
Kyler Murray, Arizona Cardinals quarterback, said:
“Prayers up for Damar Hamlin and his family. This game should’ve been called, nobody is concerned about football right now…”
Russell Wilson, Denver Broncos quarterback, said:
“Wow. I am praying for you @HamlinIsland. Praying for health and safety.”
The Buffalo Bills-Cincinnati Bengals game was postponed after Damar Hamlin collapsed, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said in a statement late Monday.
“Hamlin received immediate medical attention on the field by team and independent medical staff and local paramedics. He was then transported to a local hospital where he is in critical condition.
“Our thoughts are with Damar and the Buffalo Bills. We will provide more information as it becomes available.
“The NFL has been in constant communication with the NFL Players Association which is in agreement with postponing the game.”
Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin collapsed on the field Monday night after making a tackle in the first quarter of the game against the Cincinnati Bengals.
Hamlin fell on his back just moments after getting up from an open field tackle on Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins.
After being administered CPR on the field, Hamlin was driven out of the stadium in an ambulance, according to the ESPN broadcast.
The game was suspended at 5:58 of the first quarter after coaches from both teams met on the field.
The game was then suspended by the NFL.
CNN has reached out to the NFL and the Bills for comment on the situation.
