American football player hospitalized after colliding with a rival

After undergoing CPR in the field, Damar Hamlin was taken by ambulance to a medical center, where he remains in critical condition.

Damar Hamlin, ‘safety’ for the Buffalo Bills (New York State), collapsed on Monday night after colliding with a rival during the football game that his team played against the Cincinnati Bengals (Ohio). The event was suspended and the athlete remains in critical condition, reported the National Football League (NFL), cited by ESPN.

Hamlin lost consciousness after tackling Bengals outside receiver Tee Higgins, after which cardiopulmonary resuscitation was applied. The 24-year-old defensive back was treated on the field by team doctors as well as local paramedics, after which he was taken by ambulance to the University of Cincinnati Medical Center.

Five minutes after the ambulance left, the game was suspended and the players left the field and went to their changing rooms. More than an hour after the event, the NFL announced that the game would not resume.

“Our thoughts are with Damar and the Buffalo Bills. We will provide more information as it becomes available,” the league said in a statement. “The NFL has been in constant communication with the NFL Players Association, which agrees with the postponement of the match“, they added.

Meanwhile, fans of both teams have gathered outside the hospital to show solidarity with the player and his family.