Getty Damar Hamlin #3 of the Buffalo Bills walks through a tunnel during pregame against the Cleveland Browns at Ford Field on November 20, 2022.
The NFL world is waiting with bated breath for new updates on Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin after he collapsed due to cardiac arrest during the team’s primetime Week 17 matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals on Monday Night Football. While Hamlin remains in critical condition as of January 3, his uncle, Dorrian Glenn, revealed some positive news to several reporters on Tuesday evening.
WROC-TV’s Thad Brown tweeted just before 7 p.m. Eastern time, “Just talked with Damar Hamlin’s uncle. He says Damar is on a ventilator. The goal now is to get him to breathe better. Family is doing well. ‘He’s still up there fighting.'”
Update on Damar Hamlin from his uncle, Dorrian Glenn:
Breathing is focus, but improving.
Blown away by support.
“Prayers are coming in from all over the world.”
“Hamlin’s uncle said the support from the #Bills and others in the hospital has been amazing,” Brown continued. “People he doesn’t even know are buying stuff for the family. ‘We haven’t had to pay for food yet.'”
WIVB Sports director Josh Reed tweeted after speaking with 24-year-old’s uncle, “Damar was originally on 100% oxygen and is now down to 50%.”
The second-year Bills safety is receiving continued care from the University of Cincinnati Medical Center, where he was transported via ambulance from Paycor Stadium on Monday evening.
#BREAKING Doctors have #DamarHamlin “flipped on his stomach” to relieve pressure on his lungs right now.
He is still sedated and on a ventilator.
The next step is to get him breathing on his own again, per Hamlin’s uncle Dorrian Glenn. @WCPO
Syrcacuse.com’s Matt Parrino tweeted, “Glenn said outpouring of love from world has been so touching. A lot of people don’t see how much they’re loved when they’re alive. To see that he (has) chance to eventually recover & see all the love he’s gotten… it’s gonna mean a lot to him.”
As of 9 p.m. Eastern time on Tuesday, Hamlin’s GoFundMe toy drive page had exceeded $5 million in donations from over 185,000 individuals, including dozens of big names around the NFL such as Tom Brady, Russell Wilson, Christian McCaffrey, Josh McDaniels, Andy Dalton and others.
Details Emerged From Inside the Bills-Bengals Locker Room Following Hamlin’s Collapse
The scene in Cincinnati while Hamlin received emergency medical treatment on the field following a collision with Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins with 5:58 left in the first quarter was traumatic. While Hamlin stood up and took a few shaky steps after the hit, he then collapsed to the ground.
Bills quarterback Josh Allen, wide receiver Stefon Diggs, and the entire Bills roster were visibly emotional as the team created a prayer circle around Hamlin. The Pittsburgh alum left the field via ambulance at approximately 9:10 p.m. Eastern time and reached UC Medical Center at around 9:25 p.m. Eastern time, per The Athletic.
GettyJoe Burrow #9 of the Cincinnati Bengals and Jordan Poyer #21 of the Buffalo Bills react following the injury of Damar Hamlin #3 at Paycor Stadium on January 2, 2023.
The game was officially postponed shortly after 10 p.m. Eastern time, and on Tuesday afternoon, details of what was happening inside the respective team’s locker rooms emerged.
The Athletic’s Mike DeFabo tweeted, “Bengals long snapper Cal Adomitis, who played with Damar Hamlin at Central Catholic and Pitt, said that when Cincy was updated on Hamlin’s status, Joe Burrow was the first one to speak up and ask if the team could visit the Bills locker room to express their support/ concern.”
According to DeFabo, Adomitis said of Hamlin, “Even though he was a dude who had 8 billion offers coming out of high school and I was just fighting to get on the field, he always treated me with respect… No matter what your role on the team was, he treated you with the same dignity. … He was a pro before he was actually a pro. That was one of the reasons why he was one of our team captains at Pitt. … If there’s anyone that’s capable of pulling through and coming out the other side, alright, it’s him.”
As for the Bills side, Bally Sports reporter Michael Silver received some details from Bills tight end Tommy Sweeney, who was not active for Buffalo’s Week 17 matchup but was present on the sidelines.
“It was shock for a while on the field, and then when they told us to go in everybody had their own way of looking at it,” Sweeney told Silver. “Josh and the captains (led a discussion). It would have had to have been a unanimous thing for us to go back out, and it definitely wasn’t gonna be (that mindset) for most people.”
Dion Dawkins Spoke About the Current Mental State of the Bills Team & Their Upcoming Game
Dion Dawkins making it clear on Sports Center where the #Bills players priorities lie right now.
“Anything we have to give is for Damar and his family.”
While it remains unknown as to when the Bills-Bengals matchup will be rescheduled, it won’t be happening this week, which means the next game up for Buffalo would be their Week 18 matchup — the regular season finale at home against the New England Patriots on Sunday, January 8.
Bills offensive tackle Dion Dawkins appeared on SportsCenter on Tuesday evening, and when asked about the possibility of playing a game this week, the Pro Bowler said the team is still focused on just one thing: Hamlin.
“Anything that we have to give is for Damar and his family,” Dawkins said. “We understand that we have a job and that this is still what it is. But every emotion, every bit of energy that we have, we’re giving it to Damar and his family. We’re giving it to his best friends. Guys like Dane [Jackson] and Tre [White], and his DBs that are closest with him. And we’re giving them all of that love. … They all need it. … We’re not worried about nothing else. Right now, our time is family, prayer, and positive love, positive spirits so they can continue to step with strength and light.”