Damar Hamlin injury updates: Bills safety back in Buffalo follow on-field cardiac arrest

On Monday night, Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin made a routine tackle in the first quarter against the Cincinnati Bengals. The aftermath of the play was anything but routine.

After Hamlin popped back up and adjusted his facemask, he collapsed to the ground. As his teammates circled around him, their anguished reactions were unlike anything we have ever seen in a football game. Medical personnel at the stadium administered life-saving measures on the field, including CPR and AED shocks to re-start Hamlin’s heart, before placing him into an ambulance.

The next update from the team came at 1:48 a.m. EST, a few hours after Hamlin collapsed:

“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,” read the statement.

The game was suspended, first temporarily and then indefinitely, as both head coaches took their teams off the field and into the locker rooms. The game was ultimately declared a no-contest and not resumed.

We continued to receive positive news on Hamlin after the fact. First, he opened his eyes and used a pen and paper to write “Did we win?” Then his breathing tube was removed and he spoke with family before Facetiming the Bills’ meeting room. The entire league celebrated Damar during the final weekend of the season, and he was able to watch the Bills game from the hotel room. He even jumped up and down when Buffalo took the opening kickoff back for a touchdown and live-tweeted the game.

On January 9, he was transferred to a hospital in Buffalo to continue his treatment.

In the aftermath of the incident, people around the world have begun donating to Hamlin’s foundation on GoFundMe, with the total amount nearly $4 million overnight and now sits near $9 million.

All of our coverage is linked below, and we will continue updating as we receive information. Our thoughts and prayers are with Hamlin and his family, who were in attendance at the game and able to ride to the hospital in the ambulance.