Bills’ Damar Hamlin Went Into Cardiac Arrest During Bengals Game: Updates

Sports fans are rallying around Damar Hamlin after the Buffalo Bills safety collapsed on the field during the Monday, January 2, game against the Cincinnati Bengals.

The 24-year-old athlete suffered cardiac arrest after tackling Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins at approximately 8:55 p.m. ET during the first quarter. While he initially stood up, he collapsed moments later, and medical professionals rushed to him on the field. After conducting nearly 10 minutes of CPR, Hamlin’s “heartbeat was restored on the field,” per the Bills. Sports Illustrated reports that Hamlin’s ambulance left Paycor Stadium in Ohio at 9:25 p.m. ET.

“He was transferred to the UC Medical Center for further testing and treatment,” the team’s official Twitter explained on Tuesday, January 3, via Twitter. “He is currently sedated and listed in critical condition.”

The game was “temporarily suspended” with the Bengals winning 7-3 and 5:58 remaining in the first quarter before it was officially postponed. While the ESPN broadcasters stated that players were given a five-minute warm-up period and told to resume play, NFL executive vice president Troy Vincent denied that the NFL wanted to continue the game.

“I’m not sure where that came from,” Vincent said in a conference call, per multiple outlets. “Frankly, there was no time period for the players to get warmed up. Frankly, the only thing that we asked was that (referee) Shawn (Smith) communicate with both head coaches to make sure they had the proper time inside the locker room to discuss what they felt like was best. So, I’m not sure where that came from – five minutes warm up never, never crossed my mind, personally. And I was the one – I’m saying ‘I’ not to be selfish – but the one that was communicating with the commissioner. We never, frankly, it never crossed our mind to talk about warming up to resume play. That’s ridiculous. That’s insensitive, and that’s not a place that we should ever be in.”

In addition to fans and celebrities sending their well-wishes to Hamlin, past and current NFL players were quick to take to social media to react.

“Please pray for our brother,” Bills quarterback Josh Allen tweeted.

Chicago Bears QB Justin Fields wrote, “Prayers up … 🙏“

“Please be OK man. Please be OK,” Arizona Cardinals’ defensive end J.J. Watt posted.

Minnesota Vikings QB Kirk Cousins wrote, “Praying for Damar Hamlin and his family.”

The Bengals’ official Twitter account added, “Sending our thoughts and prayers to Demar.”

Scroll through for more on Hamlin and the incident:

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Who Is Damar Hamlin?

After playing college football at the University of Pittsburgh, Hamlin was drafted by the Bills in the sixth round in 2021, signing a four-year contract. He became a starter during week 2 of the 2022 season.

Amid his hospitalization, Hamlin’s The Chasing M’s Foundation Community Toy Drive received more than $3 million in donations via GoFundMe.

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Who Is Tee Higgins?

Hamlin tackled Higgins, a Bengals wide receiver, during the game before he collapsed. The former Clemson player was drafted by Cincinnati in 2020.

“My prayers and thoughts go out to @HamlinIsland [and] the Hamlin Family,” Higgins tweeted in the early hours of January 3, tagging Hamlin’s Twitter. “I’m praying that you pull through bro. Love 🙏🏾💙.”

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Where Is Damar Hamlin Receiving Treatment?

Hamlin was taken to the University of Cincinnati Medical Center. His teammate Stefon Diggs was spotted arriving at the hospital on January 2. ESPN reported that a cop wasn’t going to let him into the facility until he pleaded, “I need to be there for my teammate.”

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What Has the NFL Said About Damar Hamlin?

After viewers saw players seemingly warming up on the sidelines to resume the match-up, reports surfaced that the NFL wanted to continue the game due to playoff stakes, but the coaches and players refused. The organization claimed in its official statement that the NFL was in agreement to postpone the game.

“Tonight’s Buffalo Bills-Cincinnati Bengals game has been postponed after Buffalo Bills’ Damar Hamlin collapsed, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell announced. Hamlin received immediate medical attention on the field by team and independent medical staff and local paramedics. He was then transported o a local hospital where he is in critical condition,” the Monday night statement read. “Our thoughts are with Damar and the Buffalo Bills. We will provide more information as it becomes available. The NFL has been in constant communication with the NFL Players Association which is an agreement with postponing the game.”

In his conference call, Vincent added: ”Emotions you can imagine in both locker rooms, and I commend both of those coaches. Tough situation to go back in and look at 53 men in the locker room and not that they asked but just to try and calm people down. It was obvious on the phone with them that the emotions were extremely high. It was a very volatile situation, and I thought the coaches, they led tonight. They led their locker rooms.”

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What Is the Update on Damar Hamlin?

The Bills provided an update via Twitter hours after the game was officially canceled. The statement read: “Damar Hamlin suffered a cardiac arrest following a hit in our game versus the Bengals. 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.”

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Has the NFL Announced a Makeup Date for Bengals vs. Bills?

Plans for a rescheduled game have yet to be announced.