Updated: BREAKING: Buffalo Bills Player Damar Hamlin in Critical Condition After Hit to Chest; Game Postponed by NFL

By Becca Lower | 9:36 PM on January 02, 2023

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UPDATE: Buffalo Bills player Damar Hamlin is reportedly in critical condition, according to an update from the National Football League (NFL). The NFL’s statement also revealed it has officially postponed the game Monday night, between the Cincinnati Bengals and the Bills:

Damar Hamlin is in critical condition, according to the NFL. 🙏 pic.twitter.com/HM5dpGZCtM

— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) January 3, 2023

Cincinnati Fox news anchor Tricia Macke reports:

I am told that Damar Hamlin has been intubated and is currently listed in critical condition. @fox19

— Tricia Macke (@FOX19Tricia) January 3, 2023

UPDATE: Here’s video of the play:
Warning: video contains graphic content

One of the freaky things about the Damar Hamlin hit is that it looked so routine. Blow to the upper chest. Slight glance off the helmet. Then he stands up and completely collapses. Disturbing stuff. #PrayersforHamlin 🙏 pic.twitter.com/YhO09uPpZO

— Kyle Becker (@kylenabecker) January 3, 2023

Original story

With the clock ticking down below six minutes remaining in the first quarter of the Monday Night Football game between the Cincinnati Bengals and the Buffalo Bills, with the home team ahead 7-3, an unsettling injury happened inside Cincinnati’s Paycor Stadium.

At 8:55 p.m. Eastern time, according to ABC Sports, Bills safety Damar Hamlin collapsed on the field and was given oxygen and CPR, after a hard hit during game play.

Yahoo! News:

Multiple Buffalo Bills and Cincinnati Bengals players gathered around in extreme concern as Bills safety Damar Hamlin was down on the field being helped by trainers after a frightening injury.

Hamlin took a big hit in the chest area on a tackle in the first quarter of Buffalo’s game on Monday night against the Cincinnati Bengals. Hamlin got hit by Bengals receiver Tee Higgins as he ran upfield after a catch. Hamlin got up, then suddenly collapsed. His head hit the turf.

Reporters on the scene said Hamlin was given CPR on the field. More than 15 minutes passed from the time Hamlin collapsed to when he was taken off the field.

An ambulance, which was brought on the field, took Hamlin to a local hospital, the only level-one trauma center in the Cincinnati area, according to ABC Sports.

The Yahoo News! report continues on the game being “temporarily suspended” by officials:

Both coaches met with the officials. At about 9:17 p.m. Eastern, a little more than 20 minutes after Hamlin collapsed, officials said the game was temporarily suspended. Both teams headed back to the locker room.

Author Keith O’Brien shared a poignant look at the kind of giving man Hamlin is, in a tweet Monday night:

In 2020, at the end of his final year at Pitt, Damar Hamlin organized a toy drive for kids in his hometown of McKees Rocks, Pa. This is the young man who went down on the field tonight in Cincinnati. He is a man; not a number on a jersey. Prayers for Damar. pic.twitter.com/mSa80YklRK

— Keith O'Brien (@KeithOB) January 3, 2023

Arizona Cardinals veteran JJ Watt, who will play in his final NFL game Sunday, shared these thoughts. Please join me in agreeing with what he’s written, and pray for this young man to be okay.