On Jan. 2, 2023 Monday Night Football took place in Cincinnati with the Buffalo Bills (12- 3), and the Cincinnati Bengals (11-4) matching up. This was the game to tie for the first seed in the AFC and skip the first round of playoffs. Kickoff soon came with right off the bat a touchdown thrown by Joe Burrow. The bills in the next drive responded with a 25-yard field goal with score 7-3 Bengals.

It was time for the Bengals drive. The drive started with a throw to Tee Higgins. Higgins runs three yards before being tackled by Damar Hamlin. Hamlin quickly got up and then suddenly collapsed and went limp and suffered cardiac arrest.

Millions watched as medical staff run to Hamlin and begin doing CPR and caring for him. 16 minutes later he was rushed out of Paycor Stadium in an ambulance.

After the ambulance left everybody watch as Bills’ Players are huddled together praying and sobbing. While Bengals’ players got to comfort them and support them in their mourning. The NFL reportedly gave the players five minutes to warm up and get ready to resume play after the injury.

“They said they’re going to give five minutes of a warmup to these players to get ready,” Joe Buck, ESPN reporter said after the game with the NFL quickly denying his claim. There is controversy regarding this claim by Buck because this clearly shows the NFL has an importance of the game over the players feelings, emotion, and health.

After 45 minutes of the NFL communicating with the NFLPA (Nation Football League Players Association), And ESPN they eventually suspended the game and have not decided on rescheduling the game for another date.

Hamlin arrived in the hospital in the ICU labeled that he is in “critical condition” and is on a ventilator. Getting daily updates from Hamlin’s family, and his agent.

“His oxygen levels have raised, and doctors said that he is showing signs of improvement,” Hamlin’s agent Ronald Butler said.

As of today, Damar Hamlin is the second person in NFL history to die on the field during a game. But
luckily Hamlin was surrounded by medical staff and trained professionals.

“The most likely result of cardiac arrest in that situation is of an extremely rare condition called Commotio Cardis which is caused if your heart is interrupted by trauma or an outside force interrupts the electrical cycle of your heart,” Licensed Cardiologist Mike Hansen said on a YouTube video explaining the injury.

As of Jan. 5,  “Damar Hamlin is still in critical condition but is awake and able to grip the hands of his family” Butler told ESPN.

Sources:

https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/35385154/damar-hamlin-shows-remarkable-improvement-remains-critical-condition

https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/35368372/damar-hamlin-collapses-field-bills-bengals-temporarily-suspended

https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/35377747/damar-hamlin-showed-signs-overnight-progress-
friend-says

https://www.nfl.com/games/bills-at-bengals-2022-reg-17?active-tab=watch

https://www.foxnews.com/sports/joe-buck-espn-maintain-nfl-told-network-players-minutes-warm-up-damar-hamlins-injury

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