Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin (3) leaves the field during the second half of an NFL football game against the New England Patriots, Thursday, Dec. 1, 2022, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Greg M. Cooper)
The football world has been at a standstill since 24-year-old Buffalo Bills defensive back Damar Hamlin collapsed on the Cincinnati Bengals' field Monday night, and the NFL has announced that the suspended game will not resume this week.
It was a horrifying scene at Paycor Stadium after Hamlin made a tackle on Bengals receiver Tee Higgins. Hamlin stood up following the hit, suddenly went limp, and then collapsed. According to a team statement, Hamlin's heart stopped after the play at approximately nine minutes into the game. Medical personnel immediately went into action, performed CPR, and used an automated external defibrillator (AED) in an effort to restart the heart, according to WXIX-TV in Cincinnati. Hamlin received on-field treatment for at least 20 minutes before being rushed to a local hospital.
So far there have been no changes to the week 18 schedule, but the fallout from the incident has been wide-reaching. Several NFL teams slated for media interviews on Tuesday revoked their availability including the Indiana Colts and Houston Texans.
A GoFundMe fundraiser for Hamlin's 2020 toy drive campaign has seen an influx of donations and shattered the $2,500 goal, raking in more than $4.5 million.
His family issued a statement Tuesday thanking medical responders for providing "exceptional care" and the Bengals.
Having spent the past several months meeting President Joe Biden, raising millions of dollars for his charitable foundation and promoting the benefits of CPR training, Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin can focus now on the next big objective in his life: returning to football.
Benoit Garbe, chief marketing officer at Anheuser-Busch, joined Cheddar News to discuss Super Bowl ads and what lies ahead after the company ended an exclusive deal with the big game last year.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, left, hands the ball to Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James after passing Abdul-Jabbar to become the NBA's all-time leading scorer during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Oklahoma City Thunder Tuesday, Feb. 7, 2023, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
The NFL, in partnership with the American Heart Association and the American Red Cross, is setting up youth CPR training programs all over the country.