Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin collapsed on the field during Monday night’s game against the Cincinnati Bengals and required CPR before being transported by ambulance.
Hamlin made contact with Bengals receiver Tee Higgins after a completed pass. He initially got to his feet and appeared to adjust his face mask with his right hand before suddenly collapsing backward about three seconds later, remaining motionless on the field.
Players from both teams stood in shock as Hamlin lay on the field. Sixteen minutes later, when he was taken off in an ambulance, the Bills huddled together in prayer.
As medical personnel surrounded Hamlin, his uniform was cut off, and he appeared to be receiving CPR. ESPN’s broadcast reported that he was also given oxygen. He was then secured to a backboard and transported into the ambulance.
“No one’s been through this,” longtime NFL quarterback Troy Aikman said during the ESPN broadcast. “I’ve never seen anything like it, either.”
The game was suspended 21 minutes after the injury, as players slowly walked off the field.
The 24-year-old Hamlin played five seasons at Pitt, his hometown school, appearing in 48 games for the Panthers. As a senior, he earned second-team All-ACC honors, was voted a team captain, and was selected to participate in the Senior Bowl.
Selected by the Bills in the sixth round of the 2021 draft, Hamlin appeared in 14 games as a rookie. He stepped into a starting role this season after Micah Hyde was sidelined for the year due to injury.
Heading into the game, the 6-foot, 200-pound Hamlin had recorded 91 tackles, including 63 solo stops, along with 1.5 sacks.
