Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin’s breathing tube was removed overnight, and he “continues to progress remarkably in his recovery,” the team said Friday, noting that he’s been able to talk to his family.
Hamlin, 24, suffered cardiac arrest and collapsed on the field Monday night during a game against the Cincinnati Bengals.
The Bills will play the Patriots Sunday in the final week of the regular season. The NFL has a series of league-wide honors planned to recognize Hamlin.
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Our live coverage has wrapped up for the day. You can read more about Hamlin here.
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Here's what we know about Damar Hamlin's recovery
Damar Hamlin during the game between the Buffalo Bills and the Jacksonville Jaguars on November 7, 2021 at TIAA Bank Field in Jacksonville, Florida.
(David Rosenblum/Icon Sportswire/Getty Images)
Friday brought more hopeful news about the recovery of hospitalized NFL player Damar Hamlin, who is no longer relying on a breathing tube, according to his medical team.
Here’s what we’ve learned about the health of the Buffalo Bills safety, who remains in treatment at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center:
Hamlin is breathing on his own: The Bills said in a tweet that Hamlin’s breathing tube was removed late Thursday or early Friday. Physicians said earlier this week that breathing on his own without a ventilator would be a critical step in his recovery.
Hamlin is talking with loved ones: Initially, Hamlin could only write messages to family members and doctors at his bedside (including to ask who won the game). But Hamlin was speaking Friday and catching up with friends by phone. He joined a Bills team meeting via FaceTime, giving a needed boost to his worried teammates.
The cause of his cardiac arrest is not yet clear: The doctors said tests are still underway to determine what caused the medical emergency and that there are no “definitive answers” at this time. Here’s what to know about the differences between cardiac arrest, heart attack and heart failure.
Family and a team trainer are still at the hospital: Bills general manager Brandon Beane remained in Cincinnati until Tuesday night with Hamlin, and said an assistant athletic trainer is still at the medical center. Beane had powerful words in praise of the safety’s parents, who he said left him “in awe” with their strength.
A long road ahead: Though Hamlin’s medical team has called his recovery “remarkable” so far, they’ve also cautioned that there are many phases of treatment ahead before he’s back at full strength.
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NFL announces series of actions to support Hamlin
The NFL on Friday announced a series of actions aimed at supporting Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin.
According to the NFL, each team across the league will have the opportunity to participate in the following actions during week 18:
Pregame shirts. All players will have the option of wearing T-shirts that read “Love for Damar 3” as they warm-up for games.
Moment of support. All 32 clubs are encouraged to read a public address distributed by the NFL before the national anthem “as a unified show of support for Damar, the first responders and medical caregivers,” the NFL said. In the address, fans will be prompted to cheer for Hamlin and his family in a “moment of support.”
Field paint. Both home and away clubs will have the opportunity to outline the number 3, which is Hamlin’s jersey number for the Bills, for each of their football field’s 30-yard line in the color of the Bills’ red or blue team color, the NFL said.
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Buffalo Bills place Damar Hamlin on injured reserve list
From CNN's Jacob Lev
The Buffalo Bills have placed safety Damar Hamlin on the injured reserve list, the team announced Friday.
The move effectively ends Hamlin’s season after he suffered a cardiac arrest during the team’s Monday night game against the Cincinnati Bengals.
Being placed on the injured reserve list means a player cannot play for at least four games.
The Bills also announced on Friday they have activated cornerback Christian Benford.
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NFL's Roger Goodell is "grateful for and humbled" by all who helped Damar Hamlin
From CNN's David Close
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, speaking for the first time since Buffalo Bills’ safety Damar Hamlin was injured on Monday night, said Hamlin’s improving health has “lifted not only my spirits but the spirits of the entire league.”
Goodell was an unannounced speaker at a media availability with the NFL’s Competition Committee on Friday to discuss the league owners approving an unprecedented post-season plan following the cancellation of Monday night’s Buffalo Bills-Cincinnati Bengals game.
“I know this was a trying week for everyone including those on this Zoom [call]. Thank you for doing what you do as we head into our last weekend of the regular season,” Goodell said in closing remarks to reporters on Friday.
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NFL owners approve unique neutral site playoff arrangement due to Bills-Bengals cancellation
From CNN's David Close
The NFL owners have approved an unprecedented postseason plan following the cancellation of Monday night’s Buffalo Bills-Cincinnati Bengals game.
The league held a special virtual meeting with all 32 team owners or their designee on Friday to determine possible playoff scenarios now that two teams, the Bills and Bengals, will have played fewer regular season games than the rest of the league.
The NFL owners approved the unique plan to host the AFC Championship game at a neutral site if the participating teams played an unequal number of games and both teams could have been a potential top seed if the Bills-Bengals game had been played to its conclusion.
The owners also approved a plan to use a coin flip to determine the home field for a possible Wild Card round game between the Bengals and Baltimore Ravens.
The scenarios vote needed at least 24 of the 32 owners to approve the resolutions to pass.
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Buffalo Bills player Dion Dawkins says hearing Hamlin speak "was all we needed"
From CNN's Kevin Dotson
Buffalo Bills offensive tackle Dion Dawkins after a game against the Tennessee Titans at Highmark Stadium on September 19, in Orchard Park, New York.
(Timothy T Ludwig/Getty Images)
Buffalo Bills offensive tackle Dion Dawkins could barely contain his excitement when he was asked what it was like for the team to see Damar Hamlin again on a video call Friday morning.
“And then to hear him talk to us, it was everything, and that’s what we needed. Literally, that’s all we needed.”
Dawkins described the past week’s emotions as “a rollercoaster, but a rollercoaster that’s never been ridden.”
“You really go from the saddest you can really feel to the happiest you can feel in a short, drastic time,” Dawkins said. “The saddest is the saddest of the sad where you really don’t know what to do.”
“It’s far from over, but the good thing about it is it’s a positive energy for whatever rollercoaster you want to call it,” he continued. “We’re on a positive ride right now, where we got to see our guy, and we got to see #3 (Hamlin) smile and that’s literally all we wanted, you know? He’s here with us, and that’s all we can ask for is that he’s taking steps forward.”
“It’s still very emotional for a lot of guys, and we’re happy, we’re blessed and extremely thankful,” Dawkins added.
When asked about Hamlin’s toy drive foundation going over $7 million in donations, Dawkins responded with an emphatic: “It’s super lit!”
Editor’s note: This post has been updated with the correct byline.
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"What would you want someone to do for your son?" Bills GM describes staying in Cincinnati with Hamlin
Buffalo Bills general manager Brandon Beane answers questions from the media during the NFL Scouting Combine on March 1, at the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis, Indiana.
(Zach Bolinger/Icon Sportswire/Getty Images)
Buffalo Bills general manager Brandon Beane, who remained in Cincinnati until Tuesday night with Damar Hamlin, said he had simple reasoning for staying behind.
“What would you want someone to do for your son?” said Beane, who has two boys himself.
Beane said he and head coach Sean McDermott decided Monday night that the general manager would stay in Cincinnati while McDermott would stay with the team.
Beane said the coach wanted to stay with Hamlin as well, but the two leaders had only minutes to decide and opted to divide up leadership duties. McDermott needed to lead the coaches and team because they didn’t know how long the hospitalization would last, the general manager explained.
Beane said he learned more about Hamlin through time spent with his family and friends, especially the safety’s parents.
He also said he was impressed with the medical team, including their bedside manner — providing hugs and also having tears in their eyes.
Beane, who is now back in Orchard Park, New York, said he was sad he wouldn’t be there when Hamlin walks out of the hospital.
He later added that he will “forever remember this team” and that he’s not sure if he’ll ever be more proud of a team than this one.
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Bills general manager praises league-wide support for Damar Hamlin: "The NFL is a true family"
From CNN's Kevin Dotson
Buffalo Bills General Manager Brandon Beane voiced his appreciation Friday for the support from across the NFL community over the past week in the wake of the life-threatening injury to safety Damar Hamlin.
“I think, as I mentioned earlier, it says a lot about our league that we’re all competitive and we’re all trying to win every single thing, trying to win the draft, trying to win games, and ultimately trying to a championship fighting against each other,” Beane said. “This week every team changed their logo on their social media page to pray for Damar, I don’t think I’ve ever seen that.”
Beane also gave a preview of the team’s plans for Sunday’s game against the Patriots.
“As far as this weekend, we’re working on things. We definitely have the (jersey) patch, and try and honor some of the people that helped keep Damar alive and their roles. We do have some various things, we’re still talking through the exactly run of show, but I think it’s going to be a nice deal,” he said, making a reference to the Bills wearing jerseys with patches of Hamlin’s number on them.
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NFL outlines plan for league-wide gestures in support of Damar Hamlin this weekend
As Damar Hamlin continues his recovery in a Cincinnati hospital, the NFL’s final slate of regular season games will take place Saturday and Sunday.
CNN reported Thursday that the league had plans to recognize Hamlin’s situation on and off the field this weekend, and the NFL outlined those gestures in a news release Friday.
They will include:
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 shortly after the NFL released its plans:
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Bills leaders praise unsung heroes of Hamlin response
From CNN's Kevin Dotson
Buffalo Bills head coach Sean McDermott and general manager Brandon Beane praised the team’s medical staff and gave an update on their roles in caring for Damar Hamlin on Friday.
McDermott said Beane and head athletic trainer Nate Breske have returned to the team from Cincinnati, while assistant athletic trainer Tabani Richards remains with Hamlin at the hospital.
Beane reiterated his coach’s praise of the Bills’ medical staff.
“The Bills medical team, the guys who have been mentioned led by Nate Breske, Denny (Kellington) is obviously trending on Twitter, which is good for him,” Beane said, with a chuckle. “Tabani is back there, and all those guys, our docs did a great job.”
Speaking about Kellington’s sudden celebrity status after he performed life-saving CPR on Hamlin, McDermott said he heard a show host on a country music radio station talking about the Bills assistant trainer during his commute Friday morning. He said he shared a laugh with Kellington about that at the team facility.
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Bills head coach says players stood up and clapped for Hamlin when they saw him on FaceTime
From CNN's Jillian Martin
Buffalo Bills head coach Sean McDermott says players were told there was a treat in store for them Friday — and when Damar Hamlin showed up on FaceTime, “they stood up right away and clapped for him,” McDermott told reporters.
McDermott was also asked about the task of getting his team locked in for Sunday’s game against the New England Patriots.
“We’ve been working on that,” McDermott said. “There’s different waves or hurdles we need to continue to cross as we inch toward the game here, and it is coming fast.”
He added that the number-one priority is the health and well-being of his players.
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"I don’t like how he went down": CNN obtains audio from the moment Hamlin collapsed
From CNN’s Sara Smart, Sharif Paget and Jamiel Lynch
CNN has obtained audio of medical personnel that were working the sidelines at the time Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin collapsed at 8:55 p.m. ET on Monday night.
Medical personnel can be heard calling for everybody to assist and saying, “I don’t like how he went down” and “bring the cot with the medics.”
At 9:12 p.m. ET, a person can be heard asking for another medic to assist in the back of the ambulance.
At 9:20 p.m. ET, calls for an end-tidal carbon dioxide monitor can be heard, along with a sense of urgency for the driver of the ambulance to “step it up.”
Listen to the audio here:
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Bills say Hamlin's breathing tube was removed and he's been able to talk with family and doctors
Damar Hamlin walks off the field during a game against the Pittsburgh Steelers on October 9, 2022 in New York.
(Bryan Bennett/Getty Images)
The Buffalo Bills tweeted that Damar Hamlin’s breathing tube was removed overnight, according to doctors, and he’s been able to talk with his family and health care providers.
“He continues to progress remarkably in his recovery,” the team said.
The Bills said that Hamlin joined a team meeting via FaceTime and was able talk to players and coaches. “Love you boys,” he told the team.
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Damar Hamlin asked who won the game between Bills and Bengals, doctor says
Damar Hamlin warms up prior to the game between the Buffalo Bills and the Cincinnati Bengals on January 2, in Cincinnati, Ohio.
(Ian Johnson/Icon Sportswire/Getty Images)
University of Cincinatti Health doctors said Damar Hamlin has even asked who had won the game between his Buffalo Bills and the Cincinnati Bengals in which he suffered cardiac arrest.
Hamlin has not spoken yet, said Dr. Timothy Pritts, so Hamlin’s communication has all been through writing.
“When he asked, ‘did we win?,’ the answer is, yes, you know, Damar, you won. You’ve won the game of life and that’s probably the important thing out of this, and we really need to keep him in the center of everything else that’s going on, and we really want to ensure a good outcome for him,” he said.
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Buffalo Bills player describes what it'll be like to play this weekend
From CNN's Jill Martin
Buffalo Bills offensive lineman Dion Dawkins told CNN on Friday that the team getting to hear from Damar Hamlin’s father on a video call earlier this week “took a whole bunch of weight off our shoulders.”
“Seeing his father’s expression on his face, it was just honestly all we needed to see to take a giant step forward,” Dawkins told CNN’s Don Lemon.
Dawkins was asked if he thought the Bills would be ready to play this weekend. Here’s what he said:
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NFL developing plans to recognize Hamlin prior to each NFL game this weekend
From CNN’s Oliver Darcy
The NFL is working on plans to recognize Damar Hamlinahead of every NFL game scheduled for this upcoming weekend, two people familiar with the matter told CNN.
Those plans have not yet been finalized to honor the Buffalo Billssafety after he suffered a cardiac arrest duringthe“Monday Night Football” matchup between the Bills and Cincinnati Bengals.
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Bills quarterback Josh Allen emotional in thanking medical staff for rushing to Hamlin's aid
Josh Allen (17) reacts while medical staff attend to Damar Hamlin on January 2.
(Ian Johnson/Icon Sportswire/Getty Images)
The Buffalo Bills’ star quarterback Josh Allen grew emotional Thursday when thanking the medical staff for their swift response to Damar Hamlin’s collapse and for “saving his life.”
Allen, speaking at a news conference in Orchard Park, New York, paused to collect himself as he walked through the experience.
“But (getting) updates, and positive updates, eases so much of that pain and that tension that you feel,” the quarterback said.
“The scene just replays over and over in your head,” Allen said, when asked to reflect on his thoughts during the on-field medical response. “It’s hard to answer that question and actually describe how I felt, how my teammates felt in that moment.”
Allen credited head coach Sean McDermott for a “perfect” response in the locker room and in support of his players in the days since Hamlin’s collapse.
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What we learned from Damar Hamlin's doctors on Thursday
There has been a “remarkable improvement” in the health of Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin, his team said Thursday, with doctors saying the player’s “neurological condition and function is intact.”
Here are the major takeaways from yesterday’s news conference at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center, where Hamlin has been treated since he collapsed Monday night:
Hamlin has made “substantial progress”: The player is demonstrating signs of “good neurologic recovery as well as overall clinical improvement,” UC Health Dr. William Knight told reporters.
It’s still a long road to recovery: Doctors emphasized multiple times that Hamlin has a “ways to go.” He’ll need to start breathing on his own, and taking him off a ventilator will be a cautious, gradual process. UC Health Dr. Timothy Pritts said it’s too soon to say for sure whether he’ll make a full recovery.
Hamlin is interacting with family: Loved ones at Hamlin’s bedside have been able to hold his hand and communicate with him through written messages, though the player isn’t speaking. Doctors said he even asked if the Bills had won the game.
The cause of his cardiac arrest is not yet clear: The doctors said tests are still underway to determine what caused the medical emergency and that there are no “definitive answers” at this time.
An outpouring of support: Doctors thanked community members for holding vigils, sending food to the hospital and lighting Cincinnati in the Bills’ red and blue.
