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Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin is in critical condition after he suffered cardiac arrest during Monday night’s game between the Bills and Bengals. With 5:58 remaining in the first quarter, Hamlin suddenly collapsed and fell to the ground shortly after rising to his feet following a tackle of Bengals wide receivers Tee Higgins. Hamlin received immediate medical attention on the field, receiving CPR on the field for several minutes while being placed on a stretcher and eventually into an ambulance, where he was given oxygen and transported along with some family members to the UC Medical Center in Cincinnati. The Bills announced in a statement early Tuesday morning that Hamlin, 24, suffered a cardiac arrest following the hit with his heartbeat restored on the field. The team further divulged that Hamlin is “sedated and listed in critical condition.”
The game was temporarily suspended after coaches Sean McDermott of the Bills and Zac Taylor of the Bengals spoke on the field. About an hour later, the NFL decided to postpone the “Monday Night Football” between Buffalo and Cincinnati shortly after 10 p.m. ET. The league released the following statement: “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 to a local hospital where he is in critical condition.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 in agreement with postponing the game.” The NFL chose not to address a potential rescheduling of the game in a media call late Monday night. That decision will ultimately rest in the hands of commissioner Roger Goodell.
The Bills flew back to Buffalo early Tuesday morning. Hamlin is in the middle of his second season with the Bills. He earned a spot in Buffalo’s starting lineup this season after appearing in 14 games as a rookie. Hamlin’s character and work ethic led to him making the Bills’ 53-man roster as a rookie. Bills GM Brandon Beane said of Hamlin during his rookie training camp: “Damar’s done a great job. He’s a very instinctive player. … He’s a great kid, he wants it, he’s working hard and he’s giving himself every chance to put himself in the mix despite being a sixth-round pick.”
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