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The horror that has worried, captivated and halted the sports world took an encouraging turn, if not a definitive one.
Damar Hamlin, the Buffalo safety who suffered cardiac arrest in the middle of Monday’s game in Cincinnati, has shown “signs of improvement” since Tuesday, the Bills said Wednesday afternoon.
The 24-year-old remained at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center ICU in critical condition two days after collapsing in the first quarter, receiving CPR and needing to be resuscitated.
Hamlin’s uncle, Dorrian Glenn, told CNN on Tuesday his nephew’s use of a ventilator was down from 100 percent to 50 percent, but specifics were less tangible a day later.
“There’s not clarity at this point in terms of how long things are going to be, how long it’s going to take, where things are going to go,” Jordon Rooney, who serves as Hamlin’s marketing representative and essentially has become his spokesman, told ESPN.
Hamlin’s longtime friend David Adams spoke with Hamlin’s father, Mario, and was told his former high-school teammate was “improving slowly. He’s building up strength, and he’s on the right track right now.”
The league’s focus — and much of the nation’s, including President Biden — remained on Hamlin and not on the football game that was suspended with about six minutes left in the first quarter Monday. NFL executive Jeff Miller told reporters on a conference call that conversations are still ongoing concerning when or whether the game will be resumed.
A decision will be reached “in the coming days,” Miller said. Among the reported options are canceling the game, calling it a tie or playing it a week after Week 18 — which would push the playoff rounds back a week and eliminate the extra seven days leading up to the Super Bowl. It is likely the league wants Hamlin to pull through before determining the next step.
“I think [continuing the game] would be tough, just scheduling-wise,” Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow told reporters in Cincinnati. “Whatever Buffalo would want to do is what we would want to do. We’re behind them 100 percent.”
Burrow was among the Bengals captains who visited the Bills’ locker room Monday to check on their opponents and discuss their options.
“Nobody wanted to continue to play the game in a situation like that,” Burrow said.
President Biden told reporters in Kentucky he talked with Hamlin’s parents “at length” Wednesday, joining the long list of people who are rooting for the second-year defensive back from McKees Rocks, Pa. Hamlin’s charity toy drive has exceeded $6.5 million, with more than 200,000 contributions coming from all over — including Tom Brady, Russell Wilson and Matthew Stafford.
Prior to collapsing, Hamlin sustained a blow from Bengals receiver Tee Higgins, who tried to power past the University of Pittsburgh product before Hamlin brought him down. Higgins has come under some media scrutiny — on ESPN, Bart Scott suggested Higgins should not have lowered his helmet — which Hamlin’s parents do not agree with.
“Damar’s parents were a little bit frustrated that Tee was receiving any sort of backlash,” Rooney told the NFL Network. “This was a regular football play. Tee has reached out. He’s been supportive of Damar and his family.”
Locally, the Giants and Jets held team meetings that included medical professionals, who were there to speak and answer questions. First-year Giants head coach Brian Daboll, who was with Hamlin in Buffalo last season, wore a Giants cap with Hamlin’s No. 3 stitched onto the front. Daboll also asked the Giants’ psychologist and chaplain to speak with the team.
The Bills, who are set to host the Patriots on Sunday, held meetings and a walk-through but did not have media availability.
Without Hamlin, Buffalo signed safety Jared Mayden off the Jets’ practice squad.
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