Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin, 24, is in critical condition after collapsing on the field Monday night during a game against the Cincinnati Bengals. Here’s what we know:
What happened then: Moments after getting up from a wide field tackle against the Bengals’ Tee Higgins, Hamlin fell back.
Within 10 seconds, the Bills coaches treated the player. According to an ESPN broadcast, an ambulance was on the field in less than five minutes, and Hamlin was given CPR. He was then taken to the hospital.
Hamlin’s status: The Bills said in a statement on Twitter early Tuesday that the player went into cardiac arrest following the impact and his heart rate was restored on the pitch.
The Bills added that Hamlin has been transferred to the University of Cincinnati Medical Center for further testing and treatment, where he is currently being sedated.
Games: The match was halted at 5:58 of the first half, after which the match was officially adjourned. The NFL said more details on next steps would come at “the right time,” adding that Hamlin’s health was a priority.
Team: Some of Hamlin’s teammates stayed in Cincinnati while the rest of the team headed back to Buffalo on Tuesday morning. Buffalo is in the state of New York, near the US-Canada border.
Widely billed recipient Stefon Diggs arrived at the hospital where Hamlin was being treated on Monday night, the ESPN broadcast showed.
A little about Hamlin: The Pennsylvania native, 24, joined the Bills in 2021 as a sixth-round pick from the University of Pittsburgh. He has played every game this season.
According to his Pittsburgh Panthers player profile, he switched to the red shirt – meaning he sat out games while on the team – in 2016 due to injury. The NFL page added that he was also absent through injury in 2017 and 2019.
