Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin suffered a cardiac arrest after making a tackle during Monday Night Football, causing the National Football League to suspend and then postpone a pivotal game against the Cincinnati Bengals that quickly lost significance in the aftermath of a scary scene that unfolded in front of a national television audience.
“Damar Hamlin suffered a cardiac arrest following a hit in our game versus the Bengals. His heartbeat was restored on the field and he was transferred to the UC Medical Center for further testing and treatment,” the Bills said in a statement released early Tuesday.
“He is currently sedated and listed in critical condition.”
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In a chilling scene, CPR was administered on the field to the 24-year-old Hamlin for nearly 10 minutes, ESPN reported during the broadcast. Teammates surrounded Hamlin, shielding him from public view. Many were weeping and praying while Hamlin was treated on the field by team and independent medical personnel and local paramedics. He was then taken by ambulance to University of Cincinnati Medical Center.
Shortly after the ambulance left the field, the NFL had announced it had suspended the game
The NFL announced Hamlin’s condition after he was taken to a hospital, but neither the league nor the hospital released any other details about Hamlin’s medical condition. The team’s statement was released before its flight arrived back in Buffalo early Tuesday.
There was no immediate update about the future status of the game.
What Happened To Damar Hamlin?
6-foot, 200-pound Hamlin was injured while tackling Bengals receiver Tee Higgins on a seemingly routine play that didn’t appear unusually violent.
Higgins was running with the ball on a 13-yard pass from Joe Burrow when he led with his right shoulder, hitting Hamlin in the chest. Hamlin then wrapped his arms around Higgins’ shoulders and helmet to drag him down. Hamlin quickly got to his feet, appeared to adjust his face mask with his right hand, and then fell backward about three seconds later and lay motionless. The collapse occurred at 8:55 p.m.
Hamlin was down for 19 minutes while receiving medical attention. WXIX-TV in Cincinnati reported that Hamlin required an automated external defibrillator (AED) in addition to CPR on the field. His uniform was cut off as he was attended to by medical personnel. ESPN reported on its telecast that Hamlin was also given oxygen.
Hamlin was later taken by ambulance, which was on the field for four minutes, to University of Cincinnati Medical Center.
It was later reported by the NFL that Hamlin had gone into cardiac arrest. He was last reported to be in critical condition.
“I’ve never seen anything like it since I was playing,” NFL executive Troy Vincent, a six-time Pro Bowl cornerback during his career, said in the conference call early Tuesday morning. “Immediately, my player hat went on, like, how do you resume playing after seeing a traumatic event in front of you?”
When is CPR Administered?
CPR is administered as an emergency procedure when someone's heart stops beating, known as cardiac arrest. According to the American Heart Association, around 350,000 Americans die from cardiac arrest each year, making it one of the most common causes of death in the United States.
Administering CPR is crucial for a cardiac arrest patient if they are not within an immediate vicinity of a medical facility. Calling 911 and waiting for an ambulance may take a few minutes, if not longer, and so applying immediate CPR can double or triple a person's chance of survival.
What is the Difference Between Cardiac Arrest and a Heart Attack?
Although a heart attack and cardiac arrest both involve a destabilization of the heart, and they may look similar to a lay person. But they are very different and should be treated differently, according to the American Heart Association.
A heart attack occurs when the blood flow to the heart is blocked, often due to a blockage in a coronary artery. A heart attack is often occurring alongside chest pain.
Cardiac arrest occurs when there is a sudden disruption to the electrical malfunction in the heart, which causes the heart to be unable to pump oxygen to the brain, lungs and other parts of the body, A person experiencing sudden cardiac arrest will collapse and not have a pulse.
What Took the NFL So Long to Postpone the Game?
It took the NFL about one hour after Hamlin's collapsed to officially suspend the game because league executives were gathering information and communicating with referee Shawn Smith, coaches from both teams and the NFL Players Association.
Troy Vincent, the league’s executive vice president of football operations, said that the NFL’s Emergency Action Plan was activated. Vincent communicated with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and NFL Players Association executive director DeMaurice Smith. Dawn Aponte, the league’s chief football administrative officer, was at the game and communicated with Bills coach Sean McDermott and Bengals coach Zac Taylor and the referee.
“It was fluid and things were changing by the minute,” Vincent said. “It was obvious on the phone that the emotions were extremely high. It was a very volatile situation.”
Vincent refuted ESPN’s broadcast report that both teams were given a five-minute warmup period to resume playing.
“I’m not sure where that came from,” Vincent said. “It never crossed our mind to talk about warming up to resume play. That’s ridiculous. That’s insensitive. That’s not a place we should ever be in.”
Who is Damar Hamlin?
Hamlin spent five years of college at Pittsburgh — his hometown — and appeared in 48 games for the Panthers over that span. He was a second-team All-ACC performer as a senior, was voted a team captain and was picked to play in the Senior Bowl.
Drafted in the sixth round by the Bills in 2021, Hamlin played in 14 games as a rookie and then became a starter this season after Micah Hyde was injured.
In 2020, Hamlin began organizing an annual Christmas toy drive in his hometown of McKees Rocks, Pa. By early Tuesday, a community toy drive organized by Hamlin had surged to more than $3.1 million in donations. His stated goal was $2,500.
Bills offensive lineman Rodger Saffold, in a post on Twitter, described Hamlin as a “kind, caring, extremely hard worker.” Saffold wrote that Hamlin is “loyal, honest and can always put a smile on your face. He is more than an athlete, he is a son and brother.”
What's Next For The NFL?
The Bills returned early Tuesday morning to the team facility in Orchard Park, New York, with the exception of a few players who stayed behind with Hamlin.
There was a heavy police presence at Buffalo Niagara International Airport when the team arrived at about 2:45 a.m. A small group of fans gathered across the street from the players’ parking area near the airport. Police blocked off the road to allow the players to leave.
The Bengals led 7-3 in the first quarter of a game between teams vying for the top playoff seed in the AFC. Cincinnati entered at 11-4 and leading the AFC North by one game over Baltimore, while AFC East champion Buffalo was 12-3.
“The NFLPA and everyone in our community is praying for Damar Hamlin,” the players’ union said in a statement. “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.”
The unfinished game has major playoff implications as the NFL enters the final week of the regular season, with the wild-card playoff round scheduled to begin on Jan. 14. Both teams are battling for the AFC’s No. 1 seed. The Bills (12-3) entered the game in the top spot while the Bengals (11-4) had a chance to clinch the AFC North with a victory and also were in the mix for the No. 1 seed along with Kansas City (13-3).
Jeff Miller, the NFL’s executive vice president of communications, public affairs and policy, said during a conference call shortly after midnight that a time frame for resuming the game was not being considered at the time.
“Our concern is for the player and his well-being. At the appropriate time, I’m sure that we’ll have a conversation around the next steps regarding the game,” Miller said.
The NFL is entering the final week of the regular season and the playoffs are scheduled to begin Jan. 14.
