Panthers keeping Bills’ Hamlin in their thoughts after on-field cardiac arrest
Carolina Panthers backup quarterback PJ Walker was watching “Monday Night Football” when Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin collapsed after making a tackle on Cincinnati Bengals wideout Tee Higgins.
After the scary sight of watching a player fall to the ground, Walker immediately turned off the television.
“I sat there and thought about life in general after that happened,” Walker said Wednesday. “And it’s one of those situations where you just question a lot of things. Showing up this week is one of them — things like that. It’s an unfortunate thing to see, it’s a sad thing to see and I pray for him and his family and everybody out in Buffalo as well.”
Hamlin, who suffered from cardiac arrest, was given CPR on the field while an ambulance waited to transport him to a Cincinnati hospital. He was on the turf for several minutes as ESPN cameras captured the medical team springing into action with emergency protocols.
The cameras also captured the dismay on the faces of the coaching staffs and players of the Bills and Bengals. Those looks of concern were what stood out to Carolina long snapper J.J. Jansen, a 15-year NFL pro, the most of all of the images on the broadcast coverage.
“Beyond the health of Damar and concern about his health — the thing that got me was the reactions of the players who were witnessing it live,” Jansen said. “I think we’ve all been there with teammates with major injuries, concussions — God forbid someone isn’t moving after — you’re used to seeing a certain reaction. And what you saw on Monday night was a very different reaction.
“I had the sense that something was wrong watching the trainers run onto the field — because, again, I’ve seen the normal protocols. And there’s a certain tempo to those sorts of things, and that was very different from the jump. I’m very thankful that the medical people on site responded so quickly.”
Right guard Austin Corbett, Carolina’s players’ union representative, was at the Charlotte Hornets’ game against the Los Angeles Lakers on Monday when Hamlin collapsed. Corbett and his teammates, who were also at the NBA game, saw the news of Hamlin’s medical emergency on Twitter.
“The atmosphere definitely changed for all of us,” Corbett said.
Since returning to the facility on Tuesday, the Panthers’ staff and their players have discussed the health and safety concerns that have come to light since Hamlin’s health episode.
Interim head coach Steve Wilks immediately sent a message of comfort to his players through the team’s internal communication program as the world waited for updates on Hamlin’s status. The Panthers offered counseling and support programs to their players.
“We talked about it again this morning, had a prayer for him and his family before we started our walkthrough, and then we addressed it again in our team meeting,” Wilks said. “I wanted those guys to have clear head space and understand that we understand the magnitude of what happened and wanted those guys to feel comfortable about what we’re doing.”
Hamlin, who remained in critical condition on Wednesday, has begun to make progress with a breathing tube, according to the Bills.
Players in the Panthers’ locker room have envisioned themselves in a similar scenario after seeing the images of Hamlin’s collapse. For some, those images won’t be easy to forget.
“It’s going to be in the back of my mind every time I step on a football field,” Walker said.
Rookie running back Raheem Blackshear was in Bills training camp with Hamlin and said the pair grew close this summer.
Blackshear became emotional when describing his friend’s graciousness.
“When I first got there, he took me under his wing,” Blackshear said. “My heart just goes out to him and his family.”
Along with Blackshear, practice squad safety Kenny Robinson has a friendship with Hamlin.
Robinson and Hamlin — who are both from the Pittsburgh area — have known each other since middle school and are part of a group text chain that features daily interactions. Wilks excused Robinson from practice this week.
“He’s real close to him,” Wilks said. “And I wanted him to understand — as well as anybody else in that locker room — that we care about you beyond the game of football. So, as much time as he needs, he’s going to take.”
As the Panthers prepare close out their season against the New Orleans Saints on Sunday, their thoughts are with Hamlin, his family and the Bills organization.
Wilks, who previously worked in Carolina with Bills head coach Sean McDermott, reached out to his friend after the game was canceled. Jansen’s wife reached out to McDermott’s wife to check on the family, as well.
The NFL community and fans are uniting to provide support for all involved, as a GoFundMe page for Hamlin’s toy drive charity has reached over $6.5 million in donations as of Wednesday afternoon. His original goal was $2,500.
“I think it just shows you the compassion that we have in society,” Wilks said. “That regardless of the entertainment factor that we get from this game, when something of this magnitude happens, that we can all come together for a great cause.”
