During the NFL Monday Night Football game between the Buffalo Bills and the Cincinnati Bengals, Bills safety Damar Hamlin collapsed on the football field while suffering a cardiac arrest. The medical staff rushed onto the field to his aid, and they immediately performed Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).
In the game’s opening quarter, Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins caught a pass, and Hamlin stepped up to make the tackle. After getting up off the ground, Hamlin stood up for a few seconds, and suddenly, he collapsed. Hamlin was administered CPR, loaded into an ambulance, and transported to the University of Cincinnati Medical Center.
Hamlin fell to the ground at approximately 8:55 p.m. Eastern Time. Prior to being transported to the hospital, CPR was administered to Hamlin for 9 minutes. The scene was tense and emotional as members of both teams were visibly shaken as they watched the medical staff work on Hamlin.
Bills coach Sean McDermott and Bengals coach Zac Taylor spoke with each other, and they agreed to pull their teams off the field. As both teams headed to their locker rooms, the referee made an announcement to the crowd that the game was temporarily suspended until further notice.
The ambulance transporting Damar Hamlin left the stadium at approximately 9:25 p.m., and a short time later, it was reported that Hamlin was in critical condition. In regard to the game, the NFL was in constant communication with the NFL Players Association, and they decided to postpone the contest.
Fans from both teams left the stadium and went to the University of Cincinnati Medical Center to stand outside the hospital and show their support for Damar Hamlin. According to reports, Hamlin suffered an injury called Commotio Cordis, which is a form of cardiac arrest caused by a sharp blow to the chest at precisely the wrong moment.
A native of Mckees Rock, Pennsylvania, Damar Hamlin played collegiately at the University of Pittsburgh from 2016-2020. In 2021 the Buffalo Bills drafted Hamlin in the 6th round of the NFL Draft. After free safety Micah Hyde suffered a season-ending injury in Week 2, Hamlin became the starter and has posted a total of 92 tackles and 1.5 sacks.
As of Tuesday morning, 24-year-old Hamlin remains in critical condition after suffering cardiac arrest. The condition known as cardiac arrest occurs when the heart stops pumping blood to bodily organs.
According to emergency room specialist Dr. Anthony Cardillo, the primary concern is the length of time that Hamlin went without cardiac activity. Dr. Cardillo also explained that the hospital medical staff would slowly start weaning Hamlin off the ventilator within the next 12 to 24 hours to see if he could breathe on his own.
