Bills' Safety Damar Hamlin in Critical Condition at Hospital After Collision vs. Bengals
2 min read • January 03, 2023
First, all concerns are with Buffalo Bills free safety Damar Hamlin and his health.
Below, former NFL head team physician Dr. David Chao provides more details about the medical care Hamlin likely received on the field.
Hamlin collapsed on the field and received several minutes of CPR before he was taken away in an ambulance Monday night in Cincinnati.
Early indications from the Bills are that he was revived on the field, then taken to the hospital where he remains in critical condition as of Monday night.
Other than in a hospital, there no better place to collapse from a heart issue than NFL field, according to the Pro Football Docs. There were over two dozen medical professionals present, including emergency medical personnel and equipment.
Hamlin likely experienced commotio cortis from a blow to the chest while tackling Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins.
Perhaps the best indication of hope for Hamlin was that the ambulance waited on the field for his family before taking him and his family to the hospital, according to the Pro Football Docs.
That indicates he was stable when transported, even though he was in critical condition and remained so as of Monday night.
He was reportedly intubated before he was transported, which is normal routine in emergency situations when a person is unconscious.
Hamlin played for five years at University of Pittsburgh, where he earned a degree in communication, before the Bills drafted him in the sixth round in 2021.
As of 11:40 p.m. PST, a GoFundMe Hamlin started before going pro had raised over $3 million to provide toys for children in need.