Bills Safety Damar Hamlin’s Breathing Tube Removed, Talking To Family & Doctors, Facetimes Teammates + NFL Explains Why Bills-Bengals Game Will Not Resume

Posted on by theYBF

Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin has made “significant progress” in that his breathing tube has been removed, allowing him to communicate with his family and doctors after collapsing and going into cardiac arrest on the field during Monday’s game. He also used Facetime to communicate with his teammates. Inside, you’ll find out more about his progress, as well as why the NFL will not reschedule the Bills-Bengals game…

Prayers have been answered.

Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin is breathing on his own and speaking to doctors and familiy after having his breathing tube removed four days after the 24-year-old collapsed and went into cardiac arrest on the field during a Monday night game against the Cincinnati Bengals. He was rushed to the University of Cincinnati Medical Center and was listed in critical condition.

The Buffalo Bills tweeted the good news about the doctor’s removing Damar’s breathing tube:

“He continues to progress remarkably in his recovery,” the team said.

Not only has he been able to speak with family and health care providers, he also joined a team meeting via Facetime to speak with his teammates and coaches. Buffalo Bills head coach Sean McDermott said he kept it a secret from the team before announcing he had a “treat in store” for them and putting Damar on the big screen in their meeting room.

“Love you boys,” Damar said to the team before hanging up.

Coach McDermott told reporters when Damar appeared on FaceTime, “they stood up right away and clapped.” Aww!

Doctors at the University of Cincinnati Health said when the Bills safety woke up Wednesday night his first question to physicians was “Did we win?”

The NFL suspended the game an hour after he collapsed on the field.

”Yes, Damar, you’ve won. You’ve won the game of life,” said Dr. Timothy Pritts, paraphrasing for one of his partners.

They shared that his “neurological condition and function are intact” and that he had begun to awaken Wednesday night (Jan. 4th). He opened his eyes and has been moving his hands and feet, which are great signs.

Tee Higgins, wide receiver for the Cincinnati Bengals, opened up for the first time since he collided with Damar, which caused him to collapse on the field. He spoke to reporters after practice on Thursday as the team prepared to face the Baltimore Ravens and shared that Damar’s mother called him Thursday morning (Jan. 3rd) to give him an update on her son’s condition.

“He’s doing good, so I’m in a good place right now,” Higgins said. “It feels good, knowing that he’s OK, he’s doing better. It makes me feel better inside too.”

After the game on Monday (Jan. 2nd), Higgins took to Twitter to share well wishes for Damar:

”My prayers and thoughts go out to @HamlinIsland the Hamlin Family. I’m praying that you pull through bro. Love,” he tweeted.

As for the Week 17 game…

The NFL announced Thursday that the Bills-Bengals game, which was suspended, will not be resumed.

The league said some of the factors in coming to its decision included the fact that “not playing the Buffalo-Cincinnati game to its conclusion will have no effect on which clubs qualify for the postseason.”

No team will qualify for the playoffs, and no team will be eliminated as a result of the outcome of the game.

Furthermore, the NFL stated that playing the game between the Bills and Bengals would have required postponing the start of the playoffs by a week, affecting all 14 teams that qualified for the postseason.

According to the NFL, the decision will result in “potential competitive inequities in certain playoff scenarios.”

The league stated that clubs would consider a resolution recommended by the Commissioner and approved today by the competition committee at a special league meeting on Friday.

The NFL’s final slate of regular season games will take place Saturday and Sunday. The league plans to recognize Damar’s crucial situation on and off the field this weekend. The league outlined their plans in a press release:

Pre-game moments of support: The NFL shared a public address announcement that each home stadium will be encouraged to read prior to the national anthem “as a unified show of support for Damar, the first responders and medical caregivers.”

Field painting: All clubs, both home and away, can outline Hamlin’s No. 3 in each 30-yard line marker on the field, using either Buffalo Bills red or blue.

Pre-game shirts: During warm-ups, all players throughout the league will have the option to wear black t-shirts displaying “Love for Damar 3.” The Bills will wear a similar shirt but in the team’s royal blue, and Bills football personnel will don hats embroidered with a No. 3.

Jersey patches: Patches with Hamlin’s No. 3 will be worn by the Buffalo Bills during Week 18 action.

The Bills shared a photo of their No. 3 patches on Twitter:

 

 

The team also showed off their on-field tribute to No. 3:

 

 

The Bills face the New England Patriots on Sunday at 1pm in Buffalo.

Thank goodness Damar Hamlin is making epic progress. We wish him a speedy recovery!

Photo: AP Photo/Duane Burleson, File

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