OAN Roy Francis
UPDATED 11:11 AM PT – Tuesday, January 3, 2023
Bills safety Damar Hamlin had collapsed after making a tackle on Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins with 5:58 left in the first quarter on Monday night.
A scary scene unfolded on national television during Monday Night Football, when Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin collapsed on the field on Monday night. The Buffalo player received CPR for several minutes on the field before being placed on a stretcher and into an ambulance. He was then transported to UC Medical Center in Cincinnati to receive further care.
24-year-old Hamlin had suffered a cardiac arrest immediately following the tackle he made on Tee Higgins. His heartbeat was restored on the field by medical personnel that were present.
While being administered CPR, his teammates and the Cincinnati Bengals players gathered around, with some were seen visibly shaken while others were kneeling and praying.
Monday night’s game was temporarily suspended after the coaches from both teams met on the field for a brief discussion. About an hour later, the NFL officially decided to cancel the game for the night and postpone it.
In a media call late on Monday night, officials chose not to address the potential rescheduling of the game. On Tuesday morning, the NFL released a statement saying that as of now they have no plans to resume the game this week and will provide additional updates when they are available.
Hamlin is currently in his second season with the Buffalo Bills. He had played 14 games in his rookie season last year and earned a spot on the team’s 53-man roster for this season. The 24-year-old played collegiately at Pittsburgh recording 276 tackles and six interceptions, which led him to be a day three draft pick by the Bills.
In a statement early on Tuesday morning, the Buffalo team announced that Hamlin remains at the hospital, “sedated and listed in critical condition.”
His family also released a statement expressing their gratitude for the love and support that they have been shown through this, as well as thanking the fans for all the donations that have been made.
Hamlin remains in the intensive care unit and is in critical condition at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center as of late Tuesday morning.