NFL Calls Off Bills-Bengals Game This Week As Damar Hamlin Remains In ICU—Here’s What We Know

Topline

The NFL game between the Buffalo Bills and Cincinnati Bengals that was suspended Monday night after Bills safety Damar Hamlin went into cardiac arrest will not be resumed this week, the league announced Tuesday, as the 24-year-old remains in critical condition almost 18 hours after the shocking injury.

Key Facts

The league has not decided whether the game will be made up at a later date or called off completely.

The Bills said Tuesday afternoon that Hamlin is still in the intensive care unit at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center after spending the night there.

Monday night’s highly anticipated game was suspended with 5:58 left in the first quarter after Hamlin collapsed following a tackle on Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins.

Plans for games this weekend—the final matchups of the regular season—remain in place, according to the NFL, with the Bills set to host the New England Patriots and the Bengals scheduled to play the Baltimore Ravens.

The NFL said in a news release commissioner Roger Goodell made the decision after speaking with the teams’ leadership and the NFL Players’ Association—the union representing the players.

Key Background

Hamlin received CPR on the field for several minutes as medical staff used a defibrillator to restore his pulse before an ambulance took him from the field to the hospital. Many stunned players openly wept as the scene played out, and it quickly became clear initial plans to restart the game would not move forward. The NFL officially postponed the game about an hour after stopping play.

What We Don’t Know

No statements have been made on Hamlin’s prognosis.

Surprising Fact

Monday night’s game was hyped as a matchup between Super Bowl contenders and a battle for the top seed in the AFC, with the Bengals heading into the contest on a seven-game win streak, while the Bills had won six in a row. It’s unclear how the league might proceed into the playoffs with the result of such a critical game in question.

Big Number

More than $4.4 million. That’s how much in donations have poured in to a community toy drive sponsored by Hamlin. The GoFundMe goal for the drive was $2,500.

Further Reading

Damar Hamlin: Buffalo Bills Player In Critical Condition After Cardiac Arrest On The Field (Forbes)