Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin’s status has improved after he collapsed during a game on Monday night, Jan. 2, against the Cincinnati Bengals, according to family members in interviews on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Hamlin’s uncle, Dorian Glenn, told NFL Network that Hamlin is still sedated but has improved to 50 percent oxygen on a ventilator. The Bills player—in his second year in the NFL—remains in intensive care at a Cincinnati hospital.
“Right now, they got him on a ventilator, so they’re trying to get him to breathe on his own,” Glenn told the network. “So, we’re just kind of taking it day by day. Still in the ICU. They have him sedated, so just continue to administer the medical treatment that they’ve been doing.”
During ESPN’s “Monday Night Football” broadcast, Hamlin tackled Bengals wideout Tee Higgins. After the play ended, Hamlin collapsed and remained on the field for about 15 minutes as paramedics rushed to give him CPR.
“They were resuscitating him on the field before they brought him in the hospital and then resuscitated him a second time when he got to the hospital,” Glenn told CNN in a separate interview. “I just want to show my gratitude for the medical staff that were on hand because if not for them, my nephew probably wouldn’t even be here.”
Updates
In a Twitter post, the Bills said Hamlin suffered cardiac arrest and that his “heartbeat was restored on the field” before being rushed to UC Medical Center. Family members and the Bills have not released a possible reason cause of his cardiac arrest, which is when the heart stops beating suddenly.“I’m really, really thankful for the medical staff that’s been working with him,” Glenn told NFL Network.
He added that “they’ve been truly awesome and helping him with his recovery. It was a really, truly scary scene to witness that yesterday, as everyone in the country probably can agree with. I would have felt the way I felt no matter who it was, but for it to be my nephew, man, it was especially more of a gut punch to see that. I’m thankful that he’s still here, he’s still alive, and he’s still fighting. We’re just taking it day by day and continue to let the medical staff do what they do.”
Like Glenn, Rooney said Hamlin remains sedated and in critical condition inside the Cincinnati hospital.
The Bills–Bengals game, which has significant AFC playoff implications, was postponed for about an hour after Hamlin collapsed. On Tuesday, the NFL said the game would not be played this week, and the league has not determined when—or if—it will be held.
It added: “The NFL has made no decision regarding the possible resumption of the game at a later date. The league has not made any changes to the Week 18 regular season schedule. We will continue to provide additional information as it becomes available.”
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