By Mark Maske
Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin remained in critical condition in the intensive care unit of a Cincinnati hospital, the team said.
Hamlin spent the night in intensive care, the Bills announced, after a harrowing injury that caused him to suffer cardiac arrest on the field and led to the postponement of Monday night’s game against the Bengals.
“We are grateful and thankful for the outpouring of support we have received thus far,” the Bills said in a statement.
The game, stopped during the first quarter, will not resume this week, the NFL announced Tuesday. The league said it has yet to decide whether it could be finished at a later date. The NFL made no changes to its schedule of games this weekend, the final weekend of its regular season.
“We will promptly advise all clubs of any decisions that are made regarding these matters,” Commissioner Roger Goodell wrote in a memo sent Tuesday to all NFL teams.
Goodell wrote that he made the scheduling decision after discussions with the Bills, Bengals and the NFL Players Association.
Earlier on Tuesday, the Bills announced that Hamlin’s heartbeat was restored on the field Monday night before he was taken to the hospital.
Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen (17) pauses as Damar Hamlin is examined during the first half of an NFL football game against the Cincinnati Bengals, Monday, Jan. 2, 2023, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Jeff Dean)Credit:AP
Hamlin “received immediate medical attention on the field by team and independent medical staff and local paramedics,” the league said in a statement.
Medical personnel rushed to treat Hamlin on the field as players on both teams gathered nearby. Members of the medical staff administered CPR to Hamlin, according to ESPN, which was broadcasting the game. Oxygen was given to him, the network reported.
Hamlin, 24, was taken to the University of Cincinnati Medical Center.
“Damar Hamlin suffered a cardiac arrest following a hit in our game versus the Bengals,” the Bills said in a statement posted to their Twitter account. “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.”
Bills player Damar Hamlin was taken from the stadium in an ambulance.Credit:AP
Jordon Rooney, a marketing representative for Hamlin, wrote late Monday on Twitter: “His vitals are back to normal and they have put him to sleep to put a breathing tube down his throat. They are currently running tests. We will provide updates as we have them.”
Rooney told “Good Morning America” on Tuesday from Cincinnati: “I can’t speak specifically on his medical condition. I will say that he’s fighting. He’s a fighter. I felt like in the moment that there needed to be some clarity that he was awake at that time. Now he’s sedated. The family is in good spirits. We’re honestly just taking it minute by minute, hour by hour.”
Hamlin’s family said in a statement released by Rooney on Tuesday: “On behalf of our family, we want to express our sincere gratitude for the love and support shown to Damar during this challenging time. We are deeply moved by the prayers, kind words, and donations from fans around the country. . . . Your generosity and compassion mean the world to us. Please keep Damar in your prayers. We will release updates as soon as we have them.”
Hamlin was involved in a violent collision with Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins on a first-quarter play moments before he collapsed. Hamlin tackled Higgins after a catch. Hamlin got to his feet briefly, then fell to the turf.
Other players were shown praying or kneeling on the field while Hamlin received medical care. Some players were crying; others were hugging one another.
“Our thoughts are with Damar and the Buffalo Bills,” the NFL said in its statement. “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.”
A temporary suspension of play was announced after coaches Sean McDermott of the Bills and Zac Taylor of the Bengals spoke with on-field officials. ESPN initially reported the game would resume after a short break, whereby the players would be given five minutes to warm up. But Troy Vincent, the NFL’s executive vice president of football operations, said later he was “not sure where that came from.”
Vincent said in a conference call with reporters early Tuesday morning that it “never crossed my mind personally” to have the teams warm up to resume play, calling that “ridiculous” and “insensitive.”
Vincent said he had been in contact with Goodell throughout the decision-making process and added: “It wasn’t about proceeding with the game. . . . Nothing else mattered but the care of Damar. . . . We were just really trying to make sure that we were doing right by Damar.”
Fans gather for a vigil at the University of Cincinnati Medical Centre for injured football player Damar Hamlin of the Buffalo Bills.Credit:Getty Images
Dawn Aponte, an NFL executive, was in the tunnel outside the teams’ locker rooms as players and coaches waited for the postponement decision.
Jeff Miller, the league’s executive vice president of communications, public affairs and policy, said there is an emergency action plan in each NFL stadium, with an ambulance at every game. There is a Level 1 trauma center involved in each city’s plan, according to Miller. That was enacted Monday night with Hamlin, he said.
“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.”
Bills wide receiver Stefon Diggs went to the hospital to check on Hamlin’s condition after the game was postponed.
It was the second frightening scene at a game in Cincinnati this season resulting from a significant injury to a player. Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa was taken from the field on a stretcher and was transported by ambulance to the same hospital after absorbing a hit and suffering a concussion during a Sept. 29 game against the Bengals.
Tagovailoa was released from the hospital later that night and traveled with the Dolphins back to the Miami area following that game, which was completed.
Stoppages in play for serious injuries are relatively common during NFL games. But the league postponing a game because of a player’s injury is virtually unheard of, which underscored the severity of Hamlin’s injury.
“I’ve never seen anything like it since I’ve been playing,” said Vincent, a former NFL defensive back.
The Bengals were leading 7-3 when play was stopped with about six minutes remaining in the opening quarter. It was a high-profile game with what promised to be a large viewing audience on ESPN and ABC. The 23 combined victories for the Bills and Bengals this season were tied for the most ever for teams entering a “Monday Night Football” game. But the night ultimately served as an upsetting reminder of the sport’s inherent risks.
“Last night was supposed to be a great night for the NFL and a great showcase for our hometown,” Bengals owner Mike Brown said in a statement Tuesday. “Instead, the human side of our sport became paramount . . . and in that moment, humanity and love rose to the forefront.”
Bills quarterback Josh Allen wrote on Twitter: “Please pray for our brother.”
The Bills told the NFL that they planned to return to the Buffalo area overnight.
“We were notified that the team would be returning back to Buffalo, I believe, it was right before midnight,” Vincent said. “There were a handful of players that wanted to stay back with their teammate and then there [were] others that had planned on returning back to” Buffalo, he said.
Goodell wrote in Tuesday’s memo to teams: “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.”
Hospital representatives told media outlets at the scene that they would not provide further updates Monday night. Miller said the NFL had no medical updates to provide.
Hamlin was a sixth-round selection by the Bills in the 2021 draft out of the University of Pittsburgh and is in his second professional season. He has started the past 14 games for the Bills, inheriting a more prominent role after an injury to standout veteran Micah Hyde.
The Bills are scheduled to play the New England Patriots on Sunday in Orchard Park, N.Y. The Bengals are scheduled to play at home against the Baltimore Ravens.
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