how did damar hamlin travel to buffalo

Bills' Damar Hamlin back in Buffalo to continue recovery

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin was released from the University of Cincinnati Medical Center on Monday after spending almost a week in the hospital following his cardiac arrest on the field at Paycor Stadium.

The news was shared by Dr. William Knight IV and Dr. Timothy Pritts of UC Health, who were part of the team treating Hamlin and were authorized by his family to provide updates.

Hamlin flew from Cincinnati to Buffalo on Monday and has been transferred to Buffalo General Medical Center/Gates Vascular Institute and will continue to receive treatment as he recovers there.

"He is currently listed in stable condition and continues to make significant progress in his recovery," the hospital said in a statement. "The goal of the transfer to Buffalo General Medical Center/Gates Vascular Institute is to get him closer to home for further evaluation, recovery and eventually discharge and rehabilitation."

He has met a number of milestones on his journey to recovery, per doctors at UC Health, and has been up with physical and occupational therapy, walking the unit and tolerating a normal diet.

"Grateful for the awesome care I received at UCMC," Hamlin also tweeted . "Happy to be back in Buffalo. The docs and nurses at Buffalo General have already made me feel at home!"

The team of doctors at UC Health continues to be "ecstatic" about his recovery. Hamlin began walking with assistance Friday after he had his breathing tube removed overnight. He remained in the hospital's surgical intensive care unit until he was transferred as doctors wanted him to reach the criteria that allowed them to upgrade his condition from critical to either fair or good.

On Monday morning, he was able to meet those criteria and the doctors felt it was "safe and proper," per Pritts, to get him back to Buffalo.

"In general, we want to ensure that each organ system is stable to improving and that he needs a minimum amount of assistance, such that he does not need intensive nursing," Pritts said on the bar Hamlin needed to clear.

"And we have some awesome rock-star nurses who've been with him from the beginning, but he no longer needs that level of nursing care. No longer needs intensive respiratory therapy from our respiratory care practitioners and is able to, then, move to a setting where he would have less intensive care."

Hamlin is expected to continue to undergo a series of tests and evaluations to determine what caused the incident, in addition to treating any pathology that might be found. Pritts said normal recovery from something like what Hamlin is going through can be measured in weeks and months and that, "He's been a little bit ahead of that at each at each stage."

"He still has a little bit of a ways to go in terms of his ongoing recovery," Knight said. "We're thrilled to where he is today. He's up, he's walking around, he's got an amazing, genuine sense of humor."

Bills coach Sean McDermott and general manger Brandon Beane were able to visit Hamlin in Buffalo after his arrival, along with head athletic trainer Nate Breske and assistant athletic trainer Tabani Richards, who has remained with Hamlin throughout the last week.

"He's doing well and a little bit tired, but it was good to see him in person for the first time in a while," McDermott said. "... He's just tired, but he seems happy and happy to be back in Buffalo and around some familiar area to him and so, I know he's taking it just one step at a time."

Hamlin was taken to the hospital in Cincinnati last Monday night after collapsing on the field and suffering cardiac arrest during a game between the Bills and the Bengals. The game was postponed and later canceled.

Bills players returned to the field Sunday for the first time since the event with the team's win over the New England Patriots , but the focus of the game was all on Hamlin, with players wearing jerseys with "3" patches on them and the Bills' medical and athletic training staff recognized before the game. Fans throughout the stadium supported Hamlin with signs, while players held up three fingers throughout the game.

Pritts shared that Hamlin had an enthusiastic physical reaction to the game starting off with a 96-yard kickoff return by running back Nyheim Hines .

"He watched the game yesterday. When the opening kickoff was run back, he jumped up and down, got out of his chair, set, I think, every alarm off in the ICU in the process, but he was fine, it was just an appropriate reaction to a very exciting play," Pritts said. "So, he very much enjoyed it and enjoys the support from everyone."

Damar Hamlin Back in Buffalo After Being Discharged From Hospital

The bills safety was discharged from the university of cincinnati medical center and flown back to buffalo on monday, by max molski • published january 9, 2023 • updated on january 9, 2023 at 4:13 pm.

Damar Hamlin’s road to recovery has brought him back to Buffalo.

The Bills safety was discharged from the University of Cincinnati Medical Center and flown out of Cincinnati on Monday. Hamlin took to Twitter to relay the news and show his appreciation for the outpouring of support he’s received.

Headed home to Buffalo today with a lot of love on my heart. 🫶🏾 Watching the world come together around me on Sunday was truly an amazing feeling. The same love you all have shown me is the same love that I plan to put back into the world n more. Bigger than football! 🫶🏾 — 𝐃𝐚𝐦𝐚𝐫 𝐇𝐚𝐦𝐥𝐢𝐧 (@HamlinIsland) January 9, 2023

24/7 New York news stream: Watch NBC 4 free wherever you are

Grateful for the awesome care I received at UCMC. Happy to be back in Buffalo. The docs and nurses at Buffalo General have already made me feel at home! 🏩🫶🏾. — 𝐃𝐚𝐦𝐚𝐫 𝐇𝐚𝐦𝐥𝐢𝐧 (@HamlinIsland) January 9, 2023

The Bills also posted a message saying they are “thrilled and proud” to share the encouraging update.

An amazing update. ❤️💙 pic.twitter.com/Do1P1nKQWI — Buffalo Bills (@BuffaloBills) January 9, 2023

Get Tri-state area news delivered to your inbox. Sign up for NBC New York's News Headlines newsletter.

UC Health doctors confirmed that Hamlin has been walking and tolerating a regular diet.

US flag football QB says he's ‘better than Patrick Mahomes,' Chiefs star hilariously responds

United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee announces 2024 Paralympic Team

“I can confirm he is doing well and this is the beginning of the next stage of his recovery,” Dr. William Knight said of Hamlin.

The news comes one week after Hamlin was sent to the University of Cincinnati Medical Center after suffering a cardiac arrest on the field at Paycor Stadium during the Bills’ game against the Bengals. He spent the next seven days there before going back to Buffalo on Monday and reached significant milestones in his recovery after spending the first two days under sedation while requiring a ventilator.

Hamlin’s teammates wore No. 3 patches on their jerseys during their regular season finale against the New England Patriots on Sunday, and Hamlin was able to cheer them on from his hospital bed. The NFL community’s support for Hamlin stretched far beyond Buffalo, as well, with players across the league wearing “Love for Damar” shirts over the weekend.

Hamlin will continue receiving treatment and undergoing tests at Buffalo General Medical Center.

This article tagged under:

DNC Night 2

Featured stories

Live fact check: Night 2 of the Democratic National Convention

By PolitiFact staff

Live updates: The Obamas and Doug Emhoff are set to speak on Day 2 of the DNC

By Associated Press

John Wawrow, Associated Press John Wawrow, Associated Press

Carolyn Thompson, Associated Press Carolyn Thompson, Associated Press

Leave your feedback

• Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/damar-hamlin-back-in-buffalo-to-resume-recovery

Damar Hamlin back in Buffalo to resume recovery

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — Doctors who treated Damar Hamlin said the Bills safety was back in Buffalo on Monday, an uplifting sign of the remarkable progress he has made a week after going into cardiac arrest and having to be resuscitated on the field during a game in Cincinnati.

Hamlin was discharged from the University of Cincinnati Medical Center in the morning and flown to Buffalo, where Dr. William Knight said he was “ doing well. ” He will continue his recovery at a Buffalo hospital.

Doctors said Hamlin has been walking since Friday, and eating regular food and undergoing therapy. They said he was on a normal or even accelerated trajectory in his recovery from cardiac arrest, which is considered a life-threatening event. Normal recovery from something like this can be measured from weeks to months, they said.

“We continue to be ecstatic about his recovery,” Dr. Timothy Pritts said.

Hamlin’s return comes a day after he cheered on the Bills from his hospital bed during their regular season-ending 35-23 win over the New England Patriots. The game proved to be a cathartic outpouring of support for the Bills and Hamlin.

The Bills wore No. 3 Hamlin patches on their jerseys and honored their teammate by raising three fingers in the closing minutes, while tight end Dawson Knox celebrated his touchdown by forming his hands into the shape of a heart.

Hamlin responded on his Twitter account with a heart message directed toward Knox.

Fans joined in, with many holding up red heart and No. 3 signs.

The 24-year-old Hamlin has made significant progress in his recovery since spending his first two days at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center under sedation and breathing through a ventilator.

READ MORE: Wave of public prayer follows Hamlin’s collapse

He was awakened on Wednesday night and was eventually able to grip people’s hands. By Friday, Hamlin was able to breathe on his own and even addressed the team by videoconference, in which he told the Bills, “Love you boys.”

The latest update from doctors came on Saturday, when they described Hamlin’s neurological function as “excellent,” though he remained listed in critical condition.

Later that day, Hamlin tweeted: “Putting love into the world comes back 3xs as much… thankful for everyone who has reached out and prayed. This will make me stronger on the road to recovery, keep praying for me!”

The NFL will showed support for Hamlin during all Week 18 games by including a pregame moment of support, painting Hamlin’s No. 3 on the 30-yard line and pregame shirts with “Love for Damar 3.”

Hamlin’s heart stopped on Monday night after making what appeared to be a routine tackle in the first quarter against the Bengals. The game was initially suspended before officially being canceled later in the week.

Support Provided By: Learn more

Educate your inbox

Subscribe to Here’s the Deal, our politics newsletter for analysis you won’t find anywhere else.

Thank you. Please check your inbox to confirm.

How the NFL’s medical teams prepare for emergencies on the field

Health Jan 08

Damar Hamlin released from hospital, flies back to Buffalo

ORCHARD PARK - When reporters jumped onto a 3 p.m. conference call to get an update on Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin’s condition, what Drs. William Knight IV and Tim Pritts said at the outset was rather shocking.

“We shared last time that we were with you (Thursday) that our ultimate goal was to get Damar back home to his amazing family and the broader Buffalo family,” Knight began. “Well, Dr. Pritts and I are thrilled and proud on behalf of (University of Cincinnati Medical Center) to report to you that Mr. Hamlin has been released and returned to Buffalo.”

Wow. That came as a complete surprise to everyone the call who was simply expecting to hear that he was continuing to make progress, and perhaps a timeline would be established for his ultimate release and return to Buffalo.

Sign up for the Bills Blast newsletter Delivered straight to your inbox, additional Bills analysis, insight, stats, quotes and team history from Sal Maiorana

“I traveled with him to the airport this morning with our UC Health, air care and bubble care crew, including teammates who are with us on the field when Damar collapsed,” Knight continued. “He landed safely and as standard as anybody who has gone through what he’s gone through this past week, and certainly after flying on a plane, he is going to be observed and monitored to ensure that there’s no impact from the flight of his condition or on his lungs.

“Dr. Pritts and I have spoken extensively with his care team in Buffalo, and I can confirm that he is doing well and this is the beginning of the next stage of his recovery.”

Hamlin, who had been at UCMC since being transported there last Monday night when he suffered cardiac arrest after making a tackle in the Bills game against the Bengals, was admitted to Buffalo General Hospital and he tweeted Monday afternoon that the doctors and nurses there have already made him feel like he’s at home.

He was listed in critical condition for four days, but came out of induced sedation Wednesday, was talking by Thursday , and continued to make remarkable and rapid improvement to the point Sunday where he was able to watch the Bills-Patriots game on television with his parents, and was tweeting throughout.

He later FaceTimed with the Bills as they celebrated in their locker room .

Bills coach Sean McDermott met via Zoom with reporters Monday and as you might imagine, he had a smile on his face. He, general manager Brandon Beane, and head trainer Nate Breske went to Buffalo general to see Hamlin, and assistant trainer Taboni Richards who had stayed behind all week in Cincinnati.

“Yeah, I’m super excited that he’s back in Buffalo and what a job the team of docs and the medical team did out in Cincinnati,” McDermott said. “And now he’s in great care here in Buffalo. We’re happy to have him back. I did have a chance to see him a few minutes ago … and he’s doing well. He’s a little bit tired, but it was good to get to see him in person for the first time in a while.

“What a blessing, just incredible progress that he’s made … so we’re just very thankful for that, the medical team that he’s had around him and again, singling out Taboni who has been with him the whole time. Just thankful that Damar is back and resting in Buffalo here. It’s like anything else, when you have your family close by, it just feels right. It just feels better and it’s just good knowing that he’s nearby.”

And while both doctors made it clear that Hamlin still has a journey to navigate before he returns to full health, they both expressed tremendous satisfaction with the progress he made in the near week that he was under their care.

“We continue to be ecstatic about his recovery,” Pritts said. “And as Bill mentioned, when we started all this, what we told his parents is the only thing that mattered was the patient in the bed and getting him back to him and his family, into his community.

“We anticipate that he will undergo an ongoing series of tests and evaluations to determine the etiology of what caused the incident on Monday night, and to treat any pathology that may be found.”

When the doctors last spoke to reporters, Hamlin was still intubated and on a ventilator, but not long thereafter, the breathing tube was removed and he was going through being weaned off oxygen.

The next big step was to get him on his feet and walking, and Pritts said he made his first lap around the intensive care unit on Friday, and had been increasing his walking time all weekend leading up to his release.

“He has been up with physical therapy and occupational therapy, walking the unit, tolerating a regular diet, meeting with his family and many members of the care team that wanted to see how he was doing, all to get him to this point that he can be safely returned to Buffalo,” Knight said.

Bills report card: Bills report card: Tre White opens up on tough week, getting apology text from Damar Hamlin

Regarding whether Hamlin will be able to resume his football career at some point, Knight wasn’t to make a definitive statement on that.

“I think we’re in the same place that we were in the last discussion is that it is entirely too premature to discuss his football,” Knight said. “We’re really focused on his day to day recovery. He still has a little bit of a ways to go in terms of his ongoing recovery.

“We’re thrilled to where he is today. He’s up, he’s walking around, he’s got an amazing and genuine sense of humor. And his family is amazing and we’re happy he’s with them, but in terms of any kind of conjecture to his future, that’s still significantly into the future and it’s gonna be up to Damar and a great team of physicians to help him.”

Sal Maiorana can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @salmaiorana.To subscribe to Sal's new twice-a-week newsletter, Bills Blast, please follow this link:  https://profile.democratandchronicle.com/newsletters/bills-blast

• Sports Betting
• Sports Entertainment
• New York Giants
• New York Jets
• Transactions

Recommended

Damar hamlin transferred to buffalo hospital week after collapse.

Damar Hamlin’s recovery took its next step Monday, as the Bills safety was released from the University of Cincinnati Medical Center and transferred to a Buffalo hospital, doctors announced.

Hamlin, who went into cardiac arrest and collapsed on the field one week ago, landed safely in Buffalo and was monitored and observed following the flight.

“This is the beginning of the next stage of his recovery,” Dr. William Knight, director of emergency medicine, said in a news conference.

Hamlin traveled to the airport with the UC Health Air Care & Mobile Care on Monday. Prior to that, while still in the hospital’s intensive care unit, Hamlin met “a number of key milestones” that made doctors feel comfortable with sending him back to Buffalo, Knight said.

He gradually awoke from his medically induced sedation Wednesday night. His breathing tube was removed. He walked his first lap around the unit Friday, and he continued assisted walks — as well as physical and occupational therapy — throughout the weekend.

Dr. Timothy Pritts, division chief of general surgery, called it a “very normal-to-accelerated” trajectory for his recovery, reiterating that Hamlin is “neurologically completely intact” with “no reason to believe” this recovery path won’t continue.

Still, when asked how close Hamlin is to returning to a normal life, Pritts said “it’s too premature to speculate.”

“He still has a little bit of a ways to go in terms of his ongoing recovery,” Knight said. “We’re thrilled to see where he is today. He’s up. He’s walking around. He’s got an amazing, genuine sense of humor, and his family is amazing and we’re happy he’s with them.”

Hamlin’s recovery has injected hope into the NFL community , including his Bills teammates and coaches. They won their game against the Patriots on Sunday as Hamlin tweeted out reactions from his hospital room. Then, 24 hours later, head coach Sean McDermott — along with general manager Brandon Beane, head athletic trainer Nate Breske and assistant athletic trainer Tabani Richards — saw Hamlin in-person for the first time since he returned to Buffalo.

“He’s doing well,” McDermott said. “A little bit tired, but it was good to see him in-person for the first time in a while.”

Hamlin watched Sunday’s game from his hospital room, doctors said, and when Nyheim Hines returned the opening kickoff for a touchdown, he jumped up and down — getting out of his chair and setting “every alarm off in the ICU in the process,” Pritts said.

Advertisement

“He was fine,” Pritts added. “It was just an appropriate reaction to a very exciting play.”

Hamlin feels “beyond excited” and “very supported” by the outpouring of support across the league, Pritts said. In the week since he collapsed, Hamlin’s toy fundraiser has generated over $8.6 million in donations. Across the league, teams offered tributes — on signs, clothing items and stadium fields, often involving Hamlin’s name or No. 3 — and moments of silence or prayer before games.

When Hamlin awoke from his sedation, the first question he wrote for doctors on paper asked who won the game between the Bengals and Bills. At the time, doctors responded that Hamlin had won the “game of life.”

Just one week later, Hamlin’s answer to his own question, Pritts said, is that “we all won out of this.”

“He’s won as a patient,” Pritts said. “Hopefully, everybody will go out and get trained in CPR, so that you, too, can save a life someday.

“And out of all that, everybody can win. So we really agree with his sentiment that we all won from this.”

Buffalo Bills' Damar Hamlin's heart was most likely healthy before collapse

A potential cause of Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin's jarring collapse and cardiac arrest — witnessed in real time by millions of viewers of "Monday Night Football" — was immediately recognized by heart experts who also happened to be watching the game.

"I knew exactly what was going on," said Dr. Nahush Mokadam, the division director of cardiac surgery at Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center. "The way he first stood up and then collapsed ... it's not what a concussion would look like."

On Thursday morning , the Buffalo Bills tweeted that Hamlin’s brain function appears to be in good condition, following days of uncertainty and worry after the  player’s cardiac arrest during Monday  night’s game against the Cincinnati Bengals.

“Damar has shown remarkable improvement over the past 24 hours,” the Bills said on Twitter. “While still critically ill, he has demonstrated that he appears to be neurologically intact.”

It was during the first quarter of Monday night's game when Hamlin, 24, tackled a Bengals receiver whose shoulder appeared to collide with Hamlin's chest. Hamlin stood up after the tackle but collapsed seconds later.

None of the physicians interviewed for this story is involved in Hamlin’s treatment, although a statement from the Bills said only that Hamlin suffered a cardiac arrest, when the heart stops beating properly.

While there are several potential causes for Hamlin's cardiac arrest, cardiologists suggested that a rare phenomenon called "commotio cordis" was to blame.

In such cases, "there is nothing wrong with the heart," said Dr. Hari Tandri, the director of the cardiac arrhythmia program at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, Tennessee. A healthy heart, when hit with blunt force at a specific time, Tandri said, can launch into an abnormal and potentially deadly rhythm.

A spokesperson for the American Heart Association, Dr. Comilla Sasson, an emergency medicine physician in Denver, said: "It's not about how hard of a hit it was. It's actually about the timing of when the blow happens."

Normally, the heart pumps oxygen-rich blood throughout the body about every second. There is a rhythm to the process, keeping the blood flowing at a healthy pace. But every time the heart beats, there is a tiny moment — less than a fifth of a second — that makes it vulnerable to the force of a projectile, such as a hockey puck or a baseball, that can lead to a chaotic and potentially deadly heart rhythm.

It is in this exact moment, experts say, that a blow to the chest in the exact right place can launch an otherwise healthy person into cardiac arrest. The heart's electrical system malfunctions, and the heartbeat rhythm goes haywire.

Seconds after such an injury are critical to the patient's survival, Sasson said.

"For every one minute that you don't have CPR performed, your chances of survival go down by about 10%," she said. In Hamlin's case, medical personnel on the sidelines rushed in to perform CPR until he was stable enough to be taken by ambulance for further treatment.

What is commotio cordis?

It's thought that commotio cordis occurs about 15 to 20 times a year in the U.S., mostly in adolescents participating in sports like baseball, hockey or lacrosse, said Dr. Mark Link, a cardiologist at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center.

It's even rarer for people over age 20, because ribs harden with age and are better able to protect against blunt trauma, said Link, an expert in commotio cordis who is a clinical cardiac electrophysiologist specializing in heart rhythm problems.

NFL players undergo myriad health screenings, which may include scans of the heart, to identify potential health problems long before they hit the field.

"Every athlete has a comprehensive physical every year," said Dr. James Voos, an orthopedic sports medicine specialist and head team physician for the Cleveland Browns since 2014. Some, but not all, undergo cardiac screenings, such as EKGs and echocardiograms to look for problems with the heart's structure or electrical system.

What's more, Voos said, "every team has a cardiology consultant that partners with the team."

Such screenings suggest that an underlying cardiac condition would be unlikely to go unnoticed, Mokadam said.

Still, there could be other reasons a person goes into cardiac arrest. Sometimes, a blood vessel within the heart muscle swells and bursts.

Mokadam said that is unlikely to have happened in Hamlin's case.

"If it was an aneurysm that burst, he would have needed emergency open heart surgery," he said. "CPR and an AED aren't going to take care of the problem." (AED refers to a form of defibrillation treatment.)

Dr. Korin Hudson, a physician specializing in sports and emergency medicine at MedStar Health in Washington, D.C. said "there are a number of cardiac conditions that don’t always show up on those those pre-participation exams." Hudson recently worked with the Baltimore Ravens to streamline the team’s sideline emergency protocols.

Medical personnel were on hand and jumped to action when Hamlin collapsed Monday, potentially saving his life.

Medstar Health's Hudson said that the National Football League mandates at least 27 medical personnel to be on site for each team on game days. The group includes athletic trainers, doctors who specialize in head trauma, and those who treat players with broken bones, damaged tendons or torn ligaments.

Though cardiac arrests on the football field are rare, Hudson said doctors are ready and able to do more than sit on the sidelines.

"Most medical professionals will see a catastrophic injury maybe once or twice in their career," Hudson said. "That doesn't mean we don't need to be absolutely prepared to handle them at a moment's notice."

Jon Torine, who previously worked as a strength and conditioning coach for both the Buffalo Bills and the Indianapolis Colts, said player safety was a top priority. "There's not a safer place to be than on an NFL team," said Torine.

In a statement released Tuesday, Hamlin's family thanked first responders and health care professionals at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center, where he is being treated.

"On behalf of our family, we want to express our sincere gratitude for the love and support shown to Damar during this challenging time," the family wrote.

What's next?

The 24 hours after such an injury are critical, doctors say. Physicians are most likely doing a number of tests to make sure there are no underlying heart problems that could have led to Hamlin's collapse or injuries he sustained after Monday night's collision. They could include an ultrasound of the heart, a cardiac MRI and CT scans of the brain.

Doctors caring for Hamlin are likely watching for signs that he can breathe on his own and is slowly able to respond to simple commands.

Follow  NBC HEALTH  on  Twitter  &  Facebook .

Erika Edwards is a health and medical news writer and reporter for NBC News and "TODAY."

• Skip to main content
• Keyboard shortcuts for audio player

The Bills-Bengals game looked like it might resume. Then the players left the field

Bill Chappell

Buffalo Bills players pray for teammate Damar Hamlin after he collapsed during the first half of their NFL game against the Cincinnati Bengals Monday night. The game has been postponed indefinitely, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell announced. Joshua A. Bickel/AP hide caption

Buffalo Bills players pray for teammate Damar Hamlin after he collapsed during the first half of their NFL game against the Cincinnati Bengals Monday night. The game has been postponed indefinitely, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell announced.

After Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin suffered cardiac arrest during Monday Night Football's Bengals-Bills game, shocked players, coaches and fans abruptly saw the excitement of a primetime matchup replaced by a shared concern and hope: that Hamlin would survive the night.

Hamlin, 24, received CPR and other treatment on the field for more than nine minutes, as medical staff worked to save his life. He was then taken to a Cincinnati hospital where he remains in intensive care, listed in critical condition, the Bills said .

"His heartbeat was restored on the field," the team said early Tuesday.

The traumatic events played out in front of a packed Cincinnati Bengals stadium and a mass of TV viewers — many of whom spent Monday night sharing their prayers and wishes for Hamlin's recovery.

The medical emergency resulted in the NFL postponing the game — and as of early Tuesday afternoon, no potential date was announced to resume the contest. The situation has also raised questions about how the decision to halt the game was made, after ESPN and others initially reported players were told to prepare to take the field again after Hamlin left in an ambulance.

Here's a timeline of the events as they unfolded:

8:56 p.m. ET — Hamlin tackled Bengals receiver Tee Higgins around midfield, taking a hard hit to his chest. The time was recorded both by reporter Luke Jones of local TV station WKRC and a liveblog from Sporting News . At first glance, the play didn't seem unusual, as Hamlin initially stood up and adjusted his facemask — but he then collapsed, falling backward on the turf.

Medical personnel rushed to help Hamlin, and several players and coaches took a knee as the gravity of the situation became clear. He suffered the injury with nearly six minutes left in the first quarter.

The ESPN broadcast repeatedly cut to commercials — a standard practice during injury timeouts. When the program resumed, NFL players could be seen openly weeping as emergency medical staff clustered around the stricken athlete. ESPN announcer Joe Buck seemed stunned into silence along with everyone else.

"There's just nothing to say right now," Buck said at one point, as the cameras showed Bills coach Sean McDermott and players Josh Allen and Stefon Diggs, their faces wracked with emotion and concern.

9 p.m. — An ambulance was seen backing rapidly across the field toward Hamlin at Cincinnati's Paycor Stadium, in a video posted by local sports reporter Joe Danneman of local TV station FOX 19.

Extreme amount of urgency in treating injured Bills defensive player Damar Hamlin. Ambulance on the field at Paycor Stadium. pic.twitter.com/QLmmn3kqMg — Joe Danneman (@FOX19Joe) January 3, 2023

"They are intensely working on Damar Hamlin," Buck said.

For more than 9 minutes, medical staff fought to help Hamlin, ESPN sideline reporter Lisa Salters noted. Buck confirmed that health workers had been performing CPR on Hamlin throughout the commercial breaks.

"The entire Bills team is out on the field right now," Salters said. "Several players are down on their knees, other players are holding hands, praying. You can just see the worried looks on their faces."

Cincinnati quarterback Joe Burrow and other Bengals also gathered near midfield. After minutes of hushed quiet in the stadium, brief applause broke out when Hamlin was seen on a stretcher.

9:12 p.m. — The ambulance took Hamlin off the field, according to Sporting News. The emergency vehicle then paused in the parking lot — apparently to give Hamlin's mother, who was at the game, time to ride in the ambulance with her son, Danneman reported .

"I have zero clue how anybody is expected to continue playing this game," The Athletic's Paul Dehner Jr., who is based in Cincinnati, tweeted . "What a horrifying scene that was."

Officials spoke to both coaches on their sidelines, Dehner added.

9:14 p.m. — "Players are coming back on the field and it looks like the game will continue," ESPN's Ben Baby reported . Burrow was seen throwing warmup passes, with his helmet back on.

But then Cincinnati coach Zac Taylor walked across the field to speak to his counterpart, McDermott.

"They've been given 5 minutes to, quote unquote, get ready to go back to playing," Buck said of the situation. "That's the word we get from the league and the word we get from down on the field, but nobody's moving."

“They’ve been given five minutes to quote-unquote get ready to go back to playing. That’s the word we get from the league and the word we get from down on the field, but nobody is moving.” https://t.co/oOxWuWc1Dd — Jeff Howe (@jeffphowe) January 3, 2023

9:16 p.m. — The game was temporarily suspended, Dehner reported.

"Looks like Sean McDermott, after talking to Zac Taylor, is gonna pull his team off the field," Buck said, just before the decision was announced in the stadium. Buck was then told on-air that NFL officials had decided the teams needed an opportunity to "regroup themselves."

The Bengals announced the suspension would hold "until further notification."

The Bills and Bengals have both left the field and the game has temporarily been suspended. pic.twitter.com/pb4QZPgHtn — ESPN (@espn) January 3, 2023

9:29 p.m. — "Zac Taylor just walked to the Bills locker room area and is waiting outside," Danneman reported , adding that Taylor and McDermott then jointly met with referees.

9:30 p.m. — The ambulance carrying Hamlin arrived at University of Cincinnati Medical Center, Jones reported.

10 p.m. — " We have just received word this game has officially been suspended by the NFL," the Sporting News reported.

As questions lingered about the apparent initial plan to resume play, local TV station WCPO, which was carrying the game, noted that the five-minute warmup period is standard protocol after most delays.

"However, coaches Zac Taylor and Sean McDermott met and brought both of their teams back to their locker rooms," the station said. "They were seen in the tunnel between locker rooms meeting with the game officials and passing a phone to each other. Shortly after that phone call, the league announced play was to be suspended indefinitely."

The station also said that before the game was formally suspended, Burrow and other Bengals players had left their home locker room to join Bills players in the visitors' facility.

Football fans gather for a vigil at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center for football player Damar Hamlin of the Buffalo Bills, who collapsed after making a tackle during Monday night's game against the Cincinnati Bengals. Dylan Buell/Getty Images hide caption

Football fans gather for a vigil at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center for football player Damar Hamlin of the Buffalo Bills, who collapsed after making a tackle during Monday night's game against the Cincinnati Bengals.

10:01 p.m. — The NFL Players Association said its entire community "is praying for Damar Hamlin."

We have been in touch with Bills and Bengals players, and with the NFL," the union added. "The only thing that matters at this moment is Damar's health and well being."

10:07 p.m. — NFL spokesperson Brian McCarthy tweeted a statement about NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell's decision to postpone the game, saying "the NFL has been in constant communication with the NFL Players Association which is in agreement with postponing the game."

12:17 a.m. Tuesday — The NFL Network's Mike Garafolo reported that in a conference call with reporters after the game, Troy Vincent, NFL executive vice president of football operations, said that despite earlier reports, the league never sought to resume the game.

"There was no time period for the players to get warmed up," Vincent said, according to Garafolo. "It never crossed our mind to talk about warming up to resume play. That's ridiculous. That's insensitive. That's not a place we should ever be in."

1:48 a.m. Tuesday — Buffalo Bills issued a statement on Hamlin's medical status:

"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."

1:34 p.m. Tuesday — The NFL issued a statement saying the Bills-Bengals game will not be resumed this week — the 18th and final week of its season — adding that the league "has made no decision regarding the possible resumption of the game at a later date."

• Search Please fill out this field.
• Manage Your Subscription
• Give a Gift Subscription
• Newsletters
• Sweepstakes

• Human Interest
• Real People

Damar Hamlin Returns to the Cincinnati Hospital That Saved His Life: 'My 3rd Home'

"Tough times don't last, but tough people do," the Buffalo Bills player said after his emotional visit with the medical staff who saved his life

Damar Hamlin/Instagram

Buffalo Bills' safety Damar Hamlin made an emotional return to the University of Cincinnati Medical Center, almost eight months after the hospital's staff saved his life.

Hamlin, 25, shared a carousel of photos and videos from a visit with the staff at the Cincinnati hospital where he was treated for cardiac arrest in January.

"Back In Cincy For The First Time," Hamlin wrote in the caption, adding that the visit had him "reliving the toughest moments" when he returned.

"Tough times don't last, but tough people do," Hamlin said.

The NFL star, who collapsed during a game against Cincinnati's Bengals on Jan. 2, told his 1.7 million Instagram followers, "God Had A Plan For Me & Now I’m Doing His Work Enjoying Every Second Of It."

Hamlin called Cincinnati his "third home" and cleverly added, "you know that #3 very special to me," a reference to his jersey number.

In one of his videos from the visit, Hamlin shared a touching moment with Nancy Brown, the CEO of the American Heart Association. The Bills star gifted Brown a signed jersey with the message, "My best friend in the world!"

Earlier this month, Hamlin got emotional on stage at the  ESPY Awards  as he honored the  first responders who helped save his life .

Before handing them the Pat Tillman Award for Service, Hamlin told his story in a video, saying, “I didn't wake up that morning in January thinking that I would need someone to save my life that day, and I doubt that the staff thought that they had to do what they did either."

“What I've taken away from what happened to me six and a half months ago, is that any of us at any given time are capable of doing something that's incredible, in saving a life and living a life in service to others," he continued.

"It’s a blessing. It’s a responsibility. And it's the very reason why you’re hearing my voice right now. Anyone could be a hero. These are mine," he said concluding the video.

Never miss a story — sign up for  PEOPLE's free daily newsletter  to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. 

Nate Breske, the Buffalo Bills' head athletic trainer, accepted the award on behalf of the rest of the staff saying, “I'm humbled and honored to be speaking tonight, representing the Buffalo Bills athletic training staff... By the grace of God and divine intervention, we had the best outcome we could have prayed for.”

“It was a massive army of specialists who came together on and off the field to do their jobs at night. That team includes the athletic trainers and medical staffs, equipment, managers, player, engagement, personnel, mental health clinicians, chaplains, security on field first responders, paramedics and the entire medical staff at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center,” he added.

Related Articles

Buffalo Bills Announce Damar Hamlin's Release From The Hospital

There's big news for Damar Hamlin, safety for the Buffalo Bills who collapsed on the field on January 2, 2023. The Bills were playing the Cincinnati Bengals when Hamlin was struck in the chest and suffered cardiac arrest. His team released a statement at the time. "His heartbeat was restored on the field and he was transferred to the UC Medical Center for further testing and treatment," they told AP News . "He is currently sedated and listed in critical condition." Hamlin's on-field medical treatment was complicated , but the NFL's handling of it proved to be correct. They opted to stop the game and announced that it would not be resumed .

Despite the tragic incident, Hamlin has made an incredible recovery and has been active on social media from his hospital bed. Outside of the hospital, his team has been active in showing their support. At their first game back after his injury, the Bills rushed out on the field carrying flags with Hamlin's number 3 and honoring him before they played. After all this, Hamlin is leaving the hospital and returning to Buffalo.

Damar Hamlin is back in Buffalo

Damar Hamlin is going home. On January 9, 2023, he jumped on Twitter to confirm the wonderful news that he was leaving the University of Cincinnati Medical Center. "Headed home to Buffalo today with a lot of love on my heart," he tweeted . "Watching the world come together around me on Sunday was truly an amazing feeling. The same love you all have shown me is the same love that I plan to put back into the world n more. Bigger than football!"

People were absolutely thrilled. "My heart is so happy you made it brother," one fan wrote . "You should know that you have inspired more good into this world than you probably realize. Keep being you and stay strong." Another person replied , "best tweet i've ever read tbh." Another wrote , "To think it's only been 1 week is unimaginable. You United the Country in many ways that we haven't seen for a long time. Hope we see you coming out that tunnel soon to just say hi to [Bills Mafia] and your brothers!" 

The Buffalo Bills also shared the happy news on behalf of the UC Medical Center. "We are thrilled and proud to share that Damar Hamlin has been released from the hospital and returned to Buffalo," they tweeted . "He is doing well and this is the next stage of his recovery." This is such happy news after a harrowing experience for Hamlin.

• Buffalo Bills

Damar Hamlin leads long list of Bills injury woes

As the Bills look to piece together a deep injury run, their mounting injury list won't help matters.

Dan Fappiano

The Buffalo Bills are looking to get over the hump in 2024 after years of playoff disappointment. However, things might be more difficult for the Bills with their mounting injury list .

Quarterback Mitch Trubisky (knee), wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scanting (neck) and tight end Quintin Morris (shoulder) are now out multiple weeks , head coach Sean McDermott confirmed to ESPN's Adam Schefter. Safety Damar Hamlin (hamstring) and wide receiver Curtis Samuel (turf toe) are considered week-to-week.

Valdes-Scanting is arguably the most impactful absence after he signed a one-year contract worth up to $4.5 with the team. He comes to the Bills at a crucial time after the team traded Stefon Diggs to the Houston Texas. Buffalo is hopeful Scantling's Super Bowl experience with the Kansas City Chiefs rubs off on the rest of the roster. Alongside his two rings, Scantling caught 63 passes for 1,002 yards and three touchdowns over his two years with the Chiefs.

With Samuel also injured, the Bills' wide receiver room has taken quite the hit.

While Josh Allen is the unquestioned starter in Buffalo, the Bills want to ensure they have ample backup behind him should an injury occur. Trubisky's injury will take a bite out of that plan. Now, former Dallas Cowboys backup looks to be the favorite for the role.

Tight end will be occupied primarily by Dalton Kincaid and and Dawson Knox. However, Morris did appear in 15 games for the Bills in 2023. His absence won't necessarily come up in the box score, but Buffalo will feel it.

And then there's Hamlin, whose story caught the hearts of the entire nation. He has been able to make his return to football after his terrifying injury. However, his hamstring injury will keep him off the gridiron for the foreseeable future.

The Bills have lofty goals for the 2024 campaign. Their first step will be figuring out how to manage their injury.

Bills need to go one step further

For the past three seasons, Buffalo's script has read exactly the same. Do just enough to get into the playoffs and lose in the Divisional Round. The fans and front office have to be sick of the parody. It's time for results.

Led by Allen, the Bills' offense ranked fourth in the league by averaging 374.5 yards per game. They were top ten in both passing and rushing. But Buffalo must now adjust to life without Diggs. James Cook's role will only be greater in the ground game. The pieces are there, but there are plenty of question marks on the offensive side of the ball.

Defensively, the Bills ranked ninth in 2023, allowing 307.2 YPG. While their pass game was sound, Buffalo dropped to 15th overall against the run, allowing 110.6 YPG. McDermott will be counting on players such as Ed Oliver and DaQuan Jones to step.

A lot will be on the line for the Bills in 2024. They want to prove they can actually make a playoff run. Things will get trickier with their injuries, but Buffalo has remained determined.

Dan Fappiano is a Connecticut based sports journalist covering NFL and MLB news for ClutchPoints. He has a degree from Central Connecticut State and previously wrote at Shore Publishing.

🚨 Get viral NFL graphics, memes, rumors and trending news delivered right to your inbox with the Clutch Newsletter.

Follow Buffalo Rumblings online:

• Follow Buffalo Rumblings on Twitter
• Follow Buffalo Rumblings on Facebook
• Follow Buffalo Rumblings on Instagram

Site search

• DraftKings Sportsbook
• DraftKings Daily Fantasy Sports
• Community Guidelines
• Fantasy Football
• Bills NFL picks center

Filed under:

• Buffalo Bills News
• Buffalo Bills Injuries

Joint practice in Pittsburgh results in a slew of injuries for Buffalo Bills

Kaiir Elam, Damar Hamlin, Terrel Bernard, Dorian Williams all keeping things interesting

Share this story

• Share this on Facebook
• Share this on Twitter
• Share this on Reddit
• Share All sharing options

Share All sharing options for: Joint practice in Pittsburgh results in a slew of injuries for Buffalo Bills

The Buffalo Bills headed to Pennsylvania a few days early before their Saturday night preseason matchup with the Pittsburgh Steelers so that they could participate in a joint practice with the host team. The result? Buffalo’s training staff earned their keep.

While the day started with the devastating news that linebacker Matt Milano would miss the majority of the upcoming season with a torn bicep — something that happened before the Bills left Orchard Park, NY — things got a little scarier throughout the day as player after player was reported to be headed to the sidelines with trainers.

First, it was rookie defensive end Javon Solomon who was seen limping around with trainers:

Bills rookie DE Javon Solomon walked around with a bit of a limp, talked to an athletic trainer after being injured. Staying on the sideline though, holding his helmet and now without any ATs nearby. — Alaina Getzenberg (@agetzenberg) August 15, 2024

Terrel Bernard, who had a standout season last year as he took over the linebacker position vacated by the departure of Tremaine Edmunds, decided to make things interesting for a few moments. Bernard went to the bench for some attention from the medical staff, causing a minor panic among fans (and likely coaches) at the thought of opening the season without what was supposed to both starting linebackers. However, Bernard made his way back to the field without any further incident.

Bills LB Terrel Bernard briefly received attention from athletic trainers on the bench, but then returned to the field. — Alaina Getzenberg (@agetzenberg) August 15, 2024

Then, Kaiir Elam, the Bills’ third year cornerback whose struggles in his sophomore season were later credited to an injury that finally landed him on the Injured Reserve (IR) for almost two months late last year, was seen with trainers. After having been seen without pads and a helmet, good news looked like it was coming when the 23-year-old was seen back in gear.

Kaiir Elam now getting his jersey and pads put back on https://t.co/rvL55NmlmZ — Alaina Getzenberg (@agetzenberg) August 15, 2024

The good news was short-lived, however, when, minutes later, the pads and helmet were back off and Elam had to receive oxygen. He was seen running after the treatment, but never did put the jersey back on.

Bills CB Kaiir Elam is running on the sideline now after receiving significant attention on the bench, including getting oxygen. His jersey and pads are back off — Alaina Getzenberg (@agetzenberg) August 15, 2024

And then there was safety Damar Hamlin. With the departure of Micah Hyde and Jordan Poyer, and now injuries to veteran Mike Edwards and rookie Cole Bishop, Hamlin is looking at a mostly uncontested starting spot in Buffalo’s defensive backfield. He spent a significant portion of the practice on the sideline with his left leg wrapped.

Hamlin tried to quiet the growing panic, saying that his injury was minor and that the team was being cautious with the start of the season less than a month away.

Damar Hamlin said the reasoning behind this was "something minor" and that coaches were just being careful with it considering the season is a couple of weeks away. https://t.co/i4H9eFybBI — Alaina Getzenberg (@agetzenberg) August 15, 2024

Second-year linebacker Dorian Williams, who is likely to be called on to replace Milano, decided to join the injury party and took a turn with the training staff as well. No details surfaced as to why he needed treatment. Like Hamlin, Williams later downplayed his turn with the training staff, saying that he was “great.”

Dorian Williams spoke after practice: “I’m great. I’m great.” https://t.co/nq71v3melB — katherine fitzgerald (@kfitz134) August 15, 2024

On top of all of today’s injuries, whatever their extent may be, the Bills had several players still not participating in the joint practice at all due to injury, including — you guessed it — another couple of linebackers.

Yet another injury for Baylon Spector. He’s got a wrap on his right calf https://t.co/76lo3VOT2K pic.twitter.com/ezY1IgfX7H — Alaina Getzenberg (@agetzenberg) August 15, 2024

We’ll have to wait to see if head coach Sean McDermott provides an update on any of these players ahead of Saturday or if he’s going to make us wait until game day to see the state of the roster, which seems to have more holes on the defensive side than a piece of Swiss cheese at this point.

More From Buffalo Rumblings

• Top 5 takeaways from Bills’ 33-6 loss to the Bears
• Explaining the cap implications of the impending wide receiver cuts
• Bills preseason opener vs. Bears revealing in some roster battles
• Bills DT Ed Oliver injured on first play of preseason game vs Bears
• Buffalo Bills signing QB Ben DiNucci, per report
• Do the Buffalo Bills have a Tyler Bass problem?

Loading comments...

Buffalo Bills Safety Damar Hamlin Suffers Injury During Practice

B uffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin is among several Buffalo Bills players dealing with an injury that has his status for Week 1 in question.

Per Nick Veronica of News 4 Buffalo , Bills head coach Sean McDermott revealed that Damar Hamlin is week-to-week with a hamstring injury. Buffalo opens their 2024 season with a home tilt against the Arizona Cardinals on Sept. 8.

McDermott said that wide receiver Curtis Samuel (turf toe) and linebacker Baylon Spector (calf) are also week-to-week. The coach added that WR Marques Valdes-Scantling and quarterback Mitch Trubisky are out for several weeks.

Last Thursday, ESPN’s Alaina Getzenberg reported that Hamlin was on the sideline for most of practice and had his left leg wrapped up. Afterwards, Hamlin said coaches were being cautious with his “minor” injury.

Damar Hamlin appeared in five games for the Bills last season in a limited role, recording two tackles. He also played in both of Buffalo’s playoff games last season and was used in an unsuccessful fake punt play in their Divisional Round loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.

Hamlin’s return to the field was one of the most inspirational and heartwarming sports stories in recent memory. He suffered cardiac arrest in the Bills’ Week 17, 2022 game against the Cincinnati Bengals and had to be revived by medical personnel before being taken to a hospital.

The 26-year-old Hamlin was released from the hospital nine days later and cleared to return in time for the 2023 NFL season. He has one year remaining on his four-year rookie contract.

Damar Hamlin & Bills Look To Rebound From Another Tough Playoff Loss

No team has gone through more gut-wrenching postseason losses this decade than the Bills. After reaching the AFC Championship in 2020, the Bills followed it up with three straight losses in the Divisional Round.

Buffalo’s mission to redemption begins in less than three weeks, with Kyler Murray’s Cardinals coming to town. We’ll see if this is the year that Josh Allen and company finally break through with a Super Bowl run once and for all.

The post Buffalo Bills Safety Damar Hamlin Suffers Injury During Practice originally published on Total Pro Sports .

Interested in more articles like this? Follow TotalProSports on MSN to see more of our exclusive NFL content.