On Monday, January 2nd, an unexpected tragedy struck the NFL during the Week 17 Buffalo Bills vs. Cincinnati Bengals game. After a collision with an opposing player, Bill’s safety, Damar Hamlin, fell to the ground and was not able to breathe. It was later determined that he had gone into cardiac arrest on the field.

The NFL and its teams have been struggling to keep players safe and uninjured this season, concussions mainly being the problem. This event, on the other hand, was one that could not be controlled or predicted by anyone. It was speculated by doctors that the shoulder of Bengals receiver, Tee Higgins, collided with Hamlin’s chest area right in-between heartbeats, causing him to go into cardiac arrest.

Within seconds, Bill’s medical team was on the field attempting to treat Hamlin. He was given CPR for over 5 minutes before an ambulance came to the field. Hamlin was then rushed to the University of Cincinnati Medical Center in very critical condition. While there, he was put under intensive care and doctors worked non-stop.

By January 10th, Hamlin has made phenomenal progress in his recovery and has now been transported to a hospital in Buffalo. The Bengals vs Bills game that was originally postponed has now been fully canceled. A fundraiser for a toy drive organized by Hamlin has just now reached over $8 million. It is amazing to see the support that has come from all sides of the NFL, despite rivalries or any prejudice there might be among fans.

In regards to the unusually high amount of injuries this NFL season, Sophomore Christian Soreal said, “I believe that the NFL will update the pads that players have to wear. This is obviously a freak accident and is a very uncommon occurrence but the NFL can help protect the player’s hearts and prevent this from happening again.”

Everyone prays for a full recovery from Damar Hamlin and will continue to do so. With the NFL playoffs starting in just a few days, the Buffalos Bills will definitely be looking to try and take their team to the Super Bowl for Damar.