What we know about Damar Hamlin’s condition after cardiac arrest

NFL

Buffalo Bills’ safety Damar Hamlin suffered a life-threatening injury against the Cincinnati Bengals on “Monday Night Football.”

Hamlin, 24, suffered cardiac arrest and is in critical condition, according to a statement from the Bills late Monday.

Jordon Rooney Hamlin’s marketing representative at Jaster Athletes

“His vitals are back to normal and they have put him to sleep to put a breathing tube down his throat.”

Hamlin and his mother, who was watching from the stands, were taken two miles away to the University of Cincinnati Level I trauma center in what was treated as a life-or-death emergency.

The ambulance left Paycor Stadium about 30 minutes after the emergency began.

Hamlin made a first-quarter tackle on Bengals receiver Tee Higgins but appeared to take the brunt of the hit. Hamlin hopped to his feet and adjusted his facemask but almost immediately fell onto his back.

The crowd and the television audience held their collective breath waiting for the universal sign to exhale — a thumbs-up from an NFL player loaded onto a stretcher, even used in cases of paralysis to show that the player can communicate. It never happened.

The game was suspended with the Bengals leading, 7-3, after a temporary delay of more than an hour.

The ESPN broadcast relayed to viewers that players initially were given a five-minute warm-up period before resuming play, but Troy Vincent, NFL's EVP who was in contact with “devastated” commissioner Roger Goodell, denied that such a scenario was ever discussed.

ESPN

Troy Vincent NFL EVP

“Never crossed my mind to talk about warming up to resume play. That’s ridiculous, insensitive, and not a place we should ever be in.”

Vincent said the Bills planned to fly home Tuesday morning but some players, like Stefon Diggs, stayed behind to be near Hamlin.

Bengals and Bills fans gathered  outside the University of Cincinnati Medical Center, a trauma hospital that’s about two miles from Paycor Stadium, where Hamlin was taken.

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