DALLAS — The NFL is often an escape from the worries of the world, but players, coaches, and spectators alike were reminded of how fragile and precious the gift of life is on Monday.
Buffalo Bills defensive back Damar Hamlin collapsed to the ground following his tackle of Cincinnati Bengals receiver Tee Higgins with 6:12 to go in the first quarter of Monday Night Football from Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati. Hamlin needed CPR to restart his heart and was taken to a nearby medical center via ambulance. Players and coaches from both teams huddled around Hamlin as paramedics treated him and helped him into the ambulance.
The scene was unsettling for fans watching it on television. It was even more emotional for Hamlin's teammates and opponents. After an agonizing hour, the game was postponed.
Dallas Cowboys owner, president, and general manager Jerry Jones told "Shan & RJ" on 105.3 "The Fan" on Tuesday that the correct decision was made to postpone the game, even with the playoff implications that the 12-3 Bills playing the 11-3 Bengals had on seeding in the AFC.
“Well, you know, we’ve pushed a lot of games, important games, and knew they were important when we were scheduling them to have in the last week of the season and the next to last week of the season, and that has borne out," Jones said. "So, I don’t have what you do there that involves, just as we talked about, an agreement between teams. And, so, we haven’t had any chance to digest any information as to what was agreed upon regarding that game. But certainly the right decision was made relative to the health and wellbeing of all the family and certainly Hamlin himself, but all of the right decisions were made regarding the consideration of family, fans, and of everyone involved.”
Jones also said that he, "never got the feeling that there was [concern for the game’s status] but one thing in everybody’s mind there, and that was [Hamlin's] care, the sensitivity of his teammates, the sensitivity of the players on the field with him; just a complete direction of concern and direction of importance toward his health.”
The NFL moved around games in the 2020 season to accommodate COVID positive tests that hampered rosters and made the presentation of fair competition impossible. However, the league did not postpone games mid-contest to be continued at a later date.
The NFL has also tinkered with the kickoff date for games that ultimately are affected by hurricanes, as was the case in the 2017 when the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Miami Dolphins were to meet on Opening Day, but had to reschedule due to Hurricane Irma.
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