Damar Hamlin: Dion Dawkins opens up on Bills’ player’s cardiac arrest

Buffalo Bills’ Dion Dawkins has become the first teammate of hospitalized Damar Hamlin to speak out about his on-field cardiac arrest.

Hamlin, 24, is said to be ‘trending upwards’, but remains sedated and in a critical condition in ICU around 36 hours after collapsing and being administered CPR on the field.

The family has revealed the player suffered ‘lung damage’ after being resuscitated in the game against the Cincinnati Bengals Monday night and one of Hamlin’s teammates has opened up on the terrifying moment.

Buffalo Bills’ Dion Dawkins (L) recalled the moment hospitalized Damar Hamlin (R) collapsed

‘You look around and you see the medical staff doing their job, and you know when it’s something minor like somebody is down, but they’re sitting up, the guys are moving at a nice pace,’ the offensive tackle told CNN Tuesday night. 

‘But when things like this are going on, they’re waving really fast and calling guys on the field and calling for the elite medical staff – that’s when you really realize that something is really, really wrong.

‘This was one of the first experiences for myself where something like this has happened in this type of way, where it silenced an entire stadium that was at an uproar half a play earlier.’

Hamlin was rushed to the hospital – the University of Cincinnati Medical Center – after colliding with Bengals’ Tee Higgins in the first quarter of the Monday Night Football matchup.

Higgins led the well wishes sent to Hamlin on Twitter, writing: ‘My prayers and thoughts go out to @HamlinIslandthe Hamlin Family. I’m praying that you pull through bro. Love.’

On the play the 6-foot, 200-pound Hamlin was injured, Higgins led with his right shoulder, which hit the defensive back in the chest. Hamlin then wrapped his arms around Higgins’ shoulders and helmet to drag him down. 

Hamlin (No. 3) got on his feet briefly after making the tackle on Tee Higgins before falling backwards in shocking scenes as the Buffalo Bills played Cincinnati Bengals

Hamlin collapsed moments later, falling backwards and laying motionless on the floor

Bills players were visibly stunned as their teammate received emergency treatment on field

Hamlin quickly got to his feet, appeared to adjust his face mask with his right hand, and then fell backward about three seconds later and lay motionless.

The Bills safety was surrounded by players from both sides and treated for 16 minutes before being immobilized and taken off the field. While medical personnel were gathered around Hamlin, his playing uniform was cut off.

Players on both teams were visibly stunned by what had happened and many were in tears on the field. 

Many players embraced, including quarterbacks Buffalo’s Josh Allen and Cincinnati’s Joe Burrow. The game was postponed by the NFL.

Dawkins added: ‘Whether you’re a believer or not, only a higher power can really take control of what is next. Our people that helped also assisted that higher power. But in that moment you kind of just have to be vulnerable and let prayer go up and work its magic.’

The NFL confirmed the Bills-Bengals game will not be resumed this week after the postponement. The league also denied reports they were planning to carry on with the game on Monday night.

‘I’m truly blessed that we didn’t have to keep playing,’ Dawkins continued. ‘The fact that we did not have to go back out there on that field and play just shows that there is care, and that’s all we can ever ask for is that we get treated as people.

‘Most people just treat us as athletes, as superstars, and some people like celebrities, but in that moment they [the NFL] treated us like people. And being treated as a person that is cared for, it’s a beautiful feeling.’