Injured Bills player a reminder from Cincinnati to Kansas City: Football’s just a game | Opinion
It’s just a game. Monday evening, we witnessed just how much NFL players put themselves at risk as tens of millions of people at home and tens of thousands more in attendance watched in horror as medics performed lifesaving measures on Buffalo Bills player Damar Hamlin, a 24-year-old sixth-round pick out of the University of Pittsburgh in the 2021 NFL draft.
The chilling sight of Hamlin collapsing on the field at Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati shook football fans from Buffalo to Kansas City. Hamlin, in obvious distress, was taken by ambulance to Cincinnati Medical Center. As of Monday night, Hamlin was in critical condition more than an hour after he collapsed, according to NFL officials.
The game was temporarily suspended in the first quarter, and then postponed, as it should have. Almost immediately, it became apparent by the emotional reactions of players on the field that Hamlin’s situation was dire.
In Kansas City, we took keen interest in the game between the Bengals and Bills. Both have become recent nemeses of the Chiefs. Buffalo was fast nipping at Kansas City’s heels for the best record in the AFC and home-field advantage throughout the postseason. All of that is secondary now. And Chiefs fans should be mindful of this tragic scene as the regular season comes near an end.
Football is entertainment. Yes, by all means, root for the home team. But let’s remember always to keep sports in their proper perspective: The significance of a football game, even one quarterbacked by a once-and-a-generation talent like the Chiefs’ Patrick Mahomes, isn’t a matter of life and death.
I pray for Hamlin’s family and the Buffalo Bills organization.
This story was originally published January 3, 2023 at 5:00 AM.
