This morning, no one is thinking about the final week of the 2022-3 NFL regular season. The eyes of the football world, instead, are in Cincinnati, where a Buffalo Bills defensive back is fighting for his life.
With about 6 1/2 minutes left in the 1st quarter, and host Cincinnati leading, 7-3, the Bengals were driving. QB Joe Burrow had completed a pass to 2nd year receiver Tee Higgins. Buffalo safety Damar Hamlin, a 2nd year player as well, was in on the tackle. He got up, and started back toward the defensive huddle before collapsing on the field.
EMT's administered CPR, and an ambulance was brought onto the field to transport Hamlin to the University of Cincinnati Hospital, where he is in critical condition after suffering cardiac arrest.
Injuries happen on the field on a weekly basis. A cardiac arrest, or, heart attack, is a different story altogether. Only once in NFL history has a player died on the field.
In October 1971, Detroit receiver Chuck Hughes collapsed and died on the field at Tiger Stadium, which at the time was the Lions' home field. It was the future Hall of Famer, Chicago's Dick Butkus, who called the attention of the Lions' medical staff to Hughes' plight.
51 seasons later, it nearly happened again.
It wasn't until after 10 pm (ET) that the fans were sent home with the announcement that the game was "postponed", play suspended until a later date.
For now, the only "what happens next" in the NFL is when, not if, Hamlin recovers. Our prayers are with him and his family at this time.
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