The Buffalo Bills-Cincinnati Bengals game will not be restarted following Demar Hamlin’s cardiac arrest during Monday’s match
The Buffalo Bills vs Cincinnati Bengals game that was halted Monday when Buffalo safety Damar Hamlin experienced a cardiac arrest on the field will not be resumed or replayed, the NFL announced Thursday night.
As a result, the Bills and Bengals will have their postseason positions determined based on their winning percentage for a 16-game season rather than the 17-game slot played by all other NFL teams.
Due to the resulting disparity, the league recommended changes to playoff ramifications that team owners will consider in a special league meeting Friday.
Chiefly, the AFC Championship Game would be played at a neutral site if the home team for that contest ordinarily would have been settled in part by the result of the now-cancelled game.
“This has been a very difficult week,” NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said in a statement.
“We continue to focus on the recovery of Damar Hamlin and are encouraged by the improvements in his condition as well as the tremendous outpouring of support and care for Damar and his family from across the country.
“We are also incredibly appreciative of the amazing work of the medical personnel and commend each and every one of them.”
Buffalo Bills player Damar Hamlin has been able to communicate with doctors
The league noted in its announcement that no teams will make the playoffs or be eliminated from contention based on the Bills-Bengals game being canceled.
The NFL also decided against postponing the entire playoff slate just to make up the game in Cincinnati.
By announcing the decision on the fate of the halted game prior to the Week 18 slate that will conclude the regular season on Sunday, the NFL said that all teams will now enter their finals knowing exactly what scenarios are in play.
The AFC title game would be played at a neutral site if any of three possibilities occur:
1) If Buffalo (12-3) and Kansas City (13-3) both win or draw this weekend, a Bills vs Chiefs championship game would be held at a neutral site.
2) If the Bills and Chiefs both lose this weekend and the Baltimore Ravens (10-6) win or draw, a Buffalo vs Kansas City championship game would be played at a neutral site.
3) If the Bills and Chiefs both lose and Bengals win, Buffalo vs Kansas City or Cincinnati vs Kansas City AFC title game would be held at a neutral site.
In addition, if the Ravens defeat the Bengals (11-4) on Sunday, giving Baltimore a season sweep of Cincinnati, the teams would end up with the same number of wins, but the Bengals would have fewer losses. Should those teams wind up facing off in a wild-card game, the NFL will hold a coin toss to determine the home team.
The site of any other wild-card game involving either of those teams would be determined per standard procedure.
“As we considered the football schedule, our principles have been to limit disruption across the league and minimize competitive inequities,” Goodell said in a statement.
“I recognize that there is no perfect solution. The proposal we are asking the ownership to consider, however, addresses the most significant potential equitable issues created by the difficult, but necessary, decision not to play the game under these extraordinary circumstances.”
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The Buffalo Bills practiced on Thursday for the first time since teammate Demar Hamlin suffered a cardiac arrest on the field during a game against the Cincinnati Bengals.
Hamlin ‘awake’ and asked doctors ‘who won the game?’
Hamlin asked who won Monday’s match when he woke up, as doctors issued an update on Thursday on the condition of the player following his cardiac arrest during the match.
Hamlin collapsed after tackling Bengals receiver Tee Higgins midway through the first quarter of Monday’s game and underwent CPR for approximately 10 minutes before he was taken to the University of Cincinnati Medical Center.
Earlier on Thursday the Bills released a statement revealing Hamlin has shown “remarkable improvement” and, while during a press conference doctors at the medical center said they “had significant concern” over Hamlin’s condition, they added he “is making substantial progress”.
“As of this morning, he is awake. We were happy to report he was neurologically intact. He continues to be critically ill and he continues to be in intensive care. He still has significant progress that he needs to make but this marks a significant turning point in his recovery,” said Dr. Tim Pritts.
“We were in the situation where we could let him wake up as his body healed. Last night he was able to emerge, follow commands and even ask who won the game. I can clarify he did not speak but he communicated in writing.
“He’s unable to speak as he has a breathing tube in. When we answered Damar when he asked who won the game we said, ‘Yes, you won. You won the game of life’.”
Doctors added that it is too early to know whether Hamlin will return to football, saying that he can move his hands and feet.
They said the next goal is for Hamlin to breathe without needing a ventilator.
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Cincinnati Bengals head coach Zac Taylor says his thoughts and prayers are with Damar Hamlin after the Buffalo Bills star suffered a cardiac arrest against his side.
The Bills returned to practice on Thursday and in an earlier statement, the club said: “Per the physicians caring for Damar Hamlin at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center, Damar has shown remarkable improvement over the past 24 hours,” the statement said.
“While still critically ill, he has demonstrated that he appears to be neurologically intact. His lungs continue to heal and he is making steady progress.
“We are grateful for the love and support we have received.”
Bengals receiver Higgins was involved in the game before Hamlin suffered a cardiac arrest and said that he had spoken to Hamlin’s mother.
“It’s been hard, just because I had something to do with the game and whatnot,” Higgins said on Thursday in his first comments since the incident.
“But everybody has been making me feel whole again. I talked to his mom and noticed everything is OK. He’s doing good.” Higgins added Hamlin’s mother told him that “she’s thinking and praying for me.”
NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported that Hamlin opened his eyes on Wednesday night and has been able to grasp the hands of those with him.
The Bills had stated earlier on Wednesday that Hamlin was showing signs of improvement but remained in critical condition in the ICU.
An incredible league-wide response has seen coaches and players pay tribute to the 24-year-old, whose toy drive GoFundMe page set up in 2020 as part of his Chasing M’s Foundation has seen donations eclipse an initial target of $2,500 by reaching upwards of $7m.
“The outpouring of support for Damar across the nation has been amazing,” said Hamlin’s representative Agency 1 Sports on Thursday. “Thank you for the calls, messages and emails.
“Damar has made substantial improvement overnight. We are so thankful for all of the first responders, doctors and hospital staff and everyone who has played a role in this process.
“Please continue to pray for Damar and we will provide updates as they are available.”
Hamlin is in his second season in the NFL, after being taken in the sixth round of the 2021 NFL Draft by the Bills. He spent five years playing college football at Pittsburgh, his hometown, appearing in 48 games for the Panthers.
He has started 14 games for the Bills this season in place of injured safety Micah Hyde, who suffered a neck injury in Week Two and has been on injured reserve since. Hamlin is tied for the second-most tackles on the team this year, with 91.
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