Bills safety suffers cardiac arrest on field following hit during game; remains in critical condition

A tragic scene unfolded Monday night in Cincinnati just 10 minutes into the Monday Night Football game between the Buffalo Bills and the Cincinnati Bengals.

Bills safety Damar Hamlin suddenly collapsed on the field after tackling a Bengals WR. CPR was administered to Hamlin for nearly 10 minutes and he was transported to a local Cincinnati hospital after his heartbeat was restored on the field.

Just before 2 a.m., the Buffalo Bills tweeted the following statement:

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.

— Buffalo Bills (@BuffaloBills) January 3, 2023

Hamlin went down after making a tackle on Bengals WR Tee Higgins with just over 5 minutes left in the first quarter of a matchup between the Bengals and Bills.

We’ve all known that football is a terribly scary game, but what we just witnessed in the Bills-Bengals game is unimaginable.

A 24-year-old Damar Hamlin, who plays for the Bills, received CPR for nine minutes after making a tackle on the field.

— Jordan Miller (@J_MillerTV) January 3, 2023

Hamlin made the tackle on Higgins, got up and fell straight to his back. Medical personnel, including an ambulance, rushed to the field immediately. The ESPN broadcast reported that medical officials were scene performing CPR on Hamlin for at least 10 minutes.

Bills safety Damar Hamlin remained down on the field after a scary hit.

According to the broadcast, medical personnel have administered CPR. pic.twitter.com/JKCWmfzaLT

— ESPN (@espn) January 3, 2023

The game was temporarily suspended and later postponed by the NFL.

Hamlin’s agent released the following statement on Twitter:

Update on Damar:

His vitals are back to normal and they have put him to sleep to put a breathing tube down his throat. They are currently running tests.

We will provide updates as we have them.

— Jordon Rooney (@jordonr) January 3, 2023

Over an hour after Hamlin went down, the NFL released a statement that read:

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.

Statement from the NFL

What hurts the most is we’re not questioning if #DamarHamlin’s career is in jeopardy, but his life.

Can’t pray hard enough right now.

— Jordan Miller (@J_MillerTV) January 3, 2023

The NFL Players Association released the following statement:

“The NFLPA and everyone in our community is praying for Damar Hamlin. We have been in touch with Bills and Bengals players, and with the NFL. The only thing that matters at this moment is Damar’s health and well being.”

NFLPA

Hamlin was drafted in the 2021 NFL draft out of the University of Pittsburgh. He’s started 14 games for the Bills this season.

JMN extends our heartfelt prayers to Damar Hamlin, his family and the Buffalo Bills organization.