DALLAS — Former Dallas Cowboys safety and Super Bowl champion Thomas Everett trains young athletes to become elite football players.
He knows all too well the dangers of the sport.
"I’ve been there when the game had to stop for 20 minutes because I was out cold with blood shooting out of my head but I did come to and start breathing again," said Everett.
He has seen all kinds of injuries but nothing like what happened to Bills’ player Damar Hamlin.
"I’ve seen every break, you name it, I’ve seen it but when someone is down and not breathing that is totally different," said Everett.
Heisman Trophy Winner and Pro Football Hall of Famer Tim Brown said he watched a teammate at Woodrow Wilson High School in Dallas paralyzed after a hit in the 80s. But what he saw Monday night was unprecedented.
”I’ve seen a lot of things that have happened on the football field but to see one of your brothers not breathing is something you are not prepared for,” said Brown.
Brown said the play where Hamlin was injured looked routine and not particularly violent.
He said he prays Hamlin makes a full recovery. But Brown said this could have a psychological impact on players if it turns out Hamlin had no underlying health conditions that caused the cardiac arrest.
"As a guy whose chest was exposed all the time running up the middle of the field to take a shot in the chest and in my mind cause a heart attack that would be problematic," said Brown.
He said the NFL did the right thing by calling off the game.
"There’s no way those guys could have played a game," said Brown.
Brown and Everett said the NFL might have to take a closer look at player safety, like they did with concussions, to prevent more injuries.