Damar Hamlin “would want the Bills to play” on Sunday

The NFL decided to cancel the Week 17 MNF Bengals vs Bills game after initially suspending it when Bills safety Damar Hamlin collapsed on the field after making a routine tackle, suffering cardiac arrest and being taken to a hospital in Cincinnati. As Hamlin’s life was hanging in the balance and his teammates were all shocked and afraid, the NFL had to make a decision on how to move on with the schedule.

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It was first announced that the Week 18 schedule would go on as planned, and eventually it was decided that the Week 17 Bengals-Bills game would be canceled completely. Even still, going on to play like nothing happened even the next week was always going to be a daunting task for the whole of the league, but especially for the Bills players, who watched as their teammate lie on the field, lifeless and receiving CPR.

“The scene just replays over and over in your head,” said Bills quarterback Josh Allen. “It’s hard to answer that question and actually describe how I felt and how my teammates felt, in that moment, being on that field. You lose sleep, you hurt for your brother.”

Positive updates about Damar Hamlin’s health

When Hamlin lie on that field, nothing was certain. There was a feeling of hopelessness as his family, teammates, coaches, and fans watched while medics tried their best to resuscitate Hamlin. His vitals were restored and he was taken to the hospital and in critical condition for several days. But then good news came.

The Bills announced on Thursday that Damar Hamlin was showing “remarkable improvement” and was even able to communicate with the doctors, asking them who won the game.

This positive update was followed by an even more encouraging message from Hamlin’s parents, who were by his side in the hospital. His father, Mario Hamlin, addressed the Bills team in a video message on Wednesday night. He told them that Damar would want the team to play on Sunday.

The message and Hamlin’s improving health have both helped the Bills to feel more comfortable and encouraged about playing on Sunday. They are set to play the Patriots at home at 1 p.m. ET.

“To know that Damar is doing okay - and I know there’s still a lot of things and stuff that he has to process and continue to go through - but when we heard that news, there’s nothing that could have been told to us to bring our day down,” said Allen.

Allen and Bills head coach Sean McDermott answered media questions and described the harrowing scene. They talked about the difficulty of processing their emotions while trying to prepare for the game against the Patriots this weekend. The football game suddenly seemed not to matter at all.

“[Damar’s father’s] message was, the team needs to get back to focusing on the goals they had set for themselves,” said McDermott. “Damar would have wanted it that way. And that includes our game against New England this week.”

McDermott more than just a coach

McDermott handled the awful situation with class, urging the players off the field and bringing the game to a stop. Bengals coach Zac Taylor, who also agreed to stopping the game, recalled that McDermott was saying to the officials, “I need to be at the hospital for Damar, and I shouldn’t be coaching this game.”

McDermott has made the mental health of his team a top priority. When the Bills players got back to New York from Cincinnati, he had team meetings and counsellors available right away.

The team also provided support to each other. Allen invited everyone to his home, where they spent time talking about Hamlin and processing their emotions after what happened. Now, they look forward to being able to see their teammate again as he continues to make progress and recover.

“You just want to love up on him,” Allen said. “The next chance we get, I don’t know when it’s going to be, but if we get to see him anytime soon, it’s going to be awesome.”