Jake Leonard 
PHOTO COURTESY BUFFALO BILLS
NFL players, staff, and fans alike remain shocked following the events that unfolded during the Monday Night Football broadcast. During the broadcast between the Buffalo Bills and Cincinnati Bengals, Bills safety Damar Hamlin collapsed on the field, was given CPR, and was taken from the scene in an ambulance.
The Bills reported early Tuesday morning that Hamlin is in critical condition in a Cincinnati hospital after discovering that Hamlin had suffered cardiac arrest.
“Damar Hamlin suffered a cardiac arrest following a hit in our game versus the Bengals,” the Bills reported in a statement on Twitter. “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.”
Multiple players from the Bills and Bengals squads gathered around Hamlin expressing extreme concern as he was down, receiving assistance from athletic trainers after collapsing after a tackle. Hamlin reportedly took a big hit in the chest during the first quarter of the game in a collision with Bengals receiver Tee Higgins. Hamlin got up after the play before suddenly collapsing.
The Monday Night Football broadcast reported that the game was suspended for the night, with no indication of when the game would resume, if at all.
ESPN would later show footage of Bills coach Sean McDermott and Bengals coach Zac Taylor taking turns talking on their phones outside their locker rooms, which may have been a contributing factor to the game’s suspension.
Hamlin, 24, was a sixth-round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft out of Pittsburgh, becoming a starter in Week 3 of this season.
We will continue to follow the story as more information becomes available.
