In a tragic turn of events Monday evening, 24 year-old Damar Hamlin of the Buffalo Bills collapsed on the field during the Monday Night Football game against the Cincinnati Bengals. After stumbling immediately after a tackle, Hamlin suddenly collapsed to the turf. He received CPR on the field, then was transported to a Level 1 trauma center at 9:25pm ET, where he is in critical condition.
In what will surely have long-term implications for the NFL, the game has been suspended. An hour after he left the stadium, the players and coaches from both teams remained on the field, taking a knee, hugging, crying.
In a sport with a long history of controversy regarding player health, and the prevalence of Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) – severe brain injury – among retired players, this event will surely result in a reckoning for a business built on a foundation of immense athletes colliding with each other at top speed.
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