The Cincinnati Bengals were looking forward to their Monday Night Football game against the Buffalo Bills. Both teams are already playoff-bound, but the Bengals could have sewn up the AFC North with a victory over the Bills, who have already locked up the AFC East.
That quickly ended in the first quarter after Bills safety Damar Hamlin collapsed after tackling Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins. It became a serious medical emergency, as Hamlin suffered cardiac arrest. CPR was administered for at least 10 minutes. The league suspended the game indefinitely, a controversial moment as it shouldn’t have taken nearly an hour to reach that conclusion.
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
What happened last night has been described as unprecedented and a medical calamity. With an initial goal of just $2,500, Hamlin's toy drive charity has raked in over $4 million in donations. The NFL says there are no plans to reschedule the game this week.
NFL announces that the Bills-Bengals game will not be resumed this week. No further updates as of now, no changes to Week 18 schedule as of now.
— Dan Graziano (@DanGrazianoESPN) January 3, 2023
While many could have guessed correctly, Hamlin suffered a severe cardiac episode. There were some medical experts on Twitter, and I mean actual medical doctors, diagnosing Hamlin, though I don’t put much stock on diagnoses from afar. We’ve learned that often; such commentaries can make you look like a clown, which Sen. Bill Frist (R-TN) discovered the hard way during the Terry Schiavo fiasco.
Hamlin remains in critical condition, but why his heart stopped remains a lingering question. Was it due to the COVID vaccine? Was it something genetic? Let’s all settle down and hope Hamlin comes out of this. Why his heart stopped is hardly important right now.
