Monday Night Football Game Postponed After Buffalo Bills Safety Damar Hamlin Suffers Cardiac Arrest

A Monday Night Football game between the Buffalo Bills and the Cincinnati Bengals was suspended Monday after Bills player Damar Hamlin was involved in a hit that required emergency medical personnel to administer CPR for a reported nine minutes.

Per ESPN announcer Joe Buck, who was calling the game being held in Cincinnati, Bills safety Hamlin went down around 8:55 pm, stood and then collapsed soon after. When the broadcast came back from a commercial break, the team had gathered around Hamlin and the emergency medical personnel who were treating him on the field. Buck later told the audience that EMTs had been administering CPR to Hamlin for at least nine minutes.

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After Hamlin was removed from the field, the game was set to resume but soon was temporarily suspended. Players on both teams appeared shocked, some in tears, as they returned to their locker rooms. Buck later reported that the ambulance left the stands shortly after 9 pm. Hamlin’s family accompanied him to the University of Cincinnati Medical Center, where he was in critical condition, per the NFL.

UPDATE: In a tweet posted early Tuesday morning, the Buffalo Bills shared that Hamlin had “suffered a cardiac arrest” after the hit in question. “His heartbeat was restored on the field and he was transferred to the UC Medical Center for further testing and treatment,” the update continued. “He is currently sedated and listed in critical condition.”

The game was temporarily suspended after Hamlin’s injury. The NFL officially suspended the game at 10 pm.

“On behalf of our family, we want to express our sincere gratitude for the love and support shown to Damar during this challenging time,” Hamlin’s family said in a statement on Tuesday. “We are deeply moved by the prayers, kind words and donations from fans around the country.

“We also want to acknowledge the dedicated first responders and healthcare professionals at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center who have provided exceptional care to Damar,” his family said. “We feel so blessed to be part of the Buffalo Bills organization and to have their support. We also want to thank Coach Taylor and the Bengals for everything they’ve done. Your generosity and compassion mean the world to us. Please keep Damar in your prayers. We will release updates as soon as we have them.”

A University of Pittsburgh alumni, Hamlin was drafted by the Bills in 2021, in the sixth round. Heading into Jan. 2, across 15 games this season he has the second-most total tackles for the Bills, with 91 (tying fellow safety Matt Milano and trailing only LB Tremaine Edmunds’ 95).

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