Prayers for Damar Hamlin

[dammitbobby]

Easily the scariest situation I've ever seen in a football game.  Damar Haliton required 10 min of on-field CPR after collapsing.

Uncharted waters for NFL.  Gooddell is doing serious damage to his reputation IMO by not calling the game, going on 1.5 afterwards.  Looks like Bills are packing up, they're done.  But this is not being handled well.

[JasonTX]

Considering this was in Cincinnati and Goodell was in another state, it takes time to gather information before they pull the trigger to end the game.  We've seen multiple times where an ambulance takes a player off and the extent of the injury is unknown.  Once information is received from people who know, then a decision can be made. 

[dammitbobby]

That's fair, but this wasn't the same as waiting for an ambulance with a broken leg or even a spine injury. 

[HLinNC]

An organization the size and breadth of the NFL doesn't stop and turn on a dime.   This was an unprecedented situation, beyond even the severe trauma of a spine or head injury that we sometimes witness.  The parties involved all have to be consulted.  It definitely isn't a decision that an NFL white hat is going to make on the field in the moment. 

Prayers for this young man and his family that he survives

[dammitbobby]

Oh for sure, the officials have no part of the decision.  Wasn't implying that at all.  I am surprised, however, that this is something the NFL seemed completely unprepared for - it's certainly not an implausible scenario, however remote the possibility.  I work in a field that places great value on business continuity, and being prepared for contingencies, so maybe that bias is showing through some.

I wonder how they would handle this if it occurred during the Super Bowl.

[dammitbobby]

https://www.footballzebras.com/2023/01/how-does-the-nfl-handle-a-suspended-game/

Discusses options the NFL has... and I didn't know this, but apparently a player has died on the field before, in 1971:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chuck_Hughes

[Kalle]

Just an additional datapoint, here's how a very similar situation was handled in the soccer Euro 2020 tournament in the game between Finland and Denmark. https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/51197533

[JasonTX]

All things considered, from the point Hamlin went down, and the officials right there next to him immediately recognizing and summoning for help, and then as quickly as care was administered was pretty impressive.  It makes me think back on our games even at the lowest levels of high school and peewee.  I realize at lower levels this type of care won't always be there, but from an officiating standpoint, we are the first chain.  It's really second nature for us to scan the field after every play looking for injuries.  We see a player slow getting up and we automatically check to see if he's ok, and if not, we immediately call for assistance, and the assistance comes quickly as they are alert and looking just as we are after every play.  When Hamlin went down, watching those two officials, you could tell right away that this was something much more severe than a cramp or some other common injury.

[dammitbobby]

oh yes - I noticed that as well.  It took him just a fraction of a second to start to kill the clock, and he did that with urgency. 

One thing that I always struggle with, is having been a youth football coach, when I see a player get injured, and you know he's injured (especially if it's a head/neck or other obvious serious injury) I struggle to keep officiating the play; my first reaction is to go to the player to stabilize their head/neck (if that's the issue) until coaches/trainers can get to him.  That's super difficult especially when you have to leave the player. 

[Ralph Damren]

A few years ago, a UMaine player died of heart failure during practice.  The autopsy report found an undignosed heart condition, but many blamed football, being football, as the cause. I can expect the same response from some even if Damar fully recovers. My thoughts and prayers are with Damar Hamlin and his family. The Bills are rivals of the Patriots but I'll be cheering for the Bills to be Super Bowl champs with Damar awake and watching.

[Ralph Damren]

It was touching to see Damar at the game  . The Bills' season has ended, but his life has not. While his football career on the field may have ended, the memory of those tragic moments as medical personnel rushed to his side will be etched forever while the game itself will be forgotten. May Damar Hamlin have a long and happy life AND may it include a Bills' Super Bowl victory  .

[ElvisLives]

It was touching to see Damar at the game  . The Bills' season has ended, but his life has not. While his football career on the field may have ended, the memory of those tragic moments as medical personnel rushed to his side will be etched forever while the game itself will be forgotten. May Damar Hamlin have a long and happy life AND may it include a Bills' Super Bowl victory  .

Well said, and "Hear! Hear!" with regard to Mr. Hamlin.