Bills Quarterback Josh Allen Has One Request for Fans Following Damar Hamlin's Injury

By Brian Jones

Josh Allen has a request for NFL fans following a scary incident that happened on Monday night. The Buffalo Bills quarterback is asking for prayers for his teammate Damar Hamlin who remains in the hospital after suffering cardiac arrest during the game against the Cincinnati Bengals. Allen went to Twitter to simply write "Please pray for our brother."

When Hamlin collapsed, the medical staff on-site performed CPR on the 24-year-old. He was then sent to the University of Cincinnati Medical Center and is in critical condition. According to ESPN, the majority of Bills players remained at Paycor Stadium well into Monday night before leaving to return to Buffalo. As Hamlin was receiving care, the entire Bills sideline surrounded Hamlin. And when Hamlin was being sent to the hospital, his family came down from the stands to be with him in the ambulance. 

"What was most important was that it wasn't about proceeding with the game," NFL executive vice president of football operations Troy Vincent said during a conference call after midnight. "Frankly, that aspect never crossed my mind or their mind internally. We asked that [referee] Shawn [Smith] communicate with both Taylor and Coach McDermott getting the players together. Frankly, it was just about getting a pulse of where they were at that particular time."  

The game was postponed, and the NFL announced it won't be played this week. The league also announced no decisions have been made when it comes to the Week 18 schedule. "Emotions you can imagine in both locker rooms, and I commend both of those coaches," Vincent said. "Tough situation to go back in and look at 53 men in the locker room and not that they asked but just to try to calm people down. It was obvious on the phone with them that the emotions were extremely high. It was a very volatile situation, and I thought the coaches, they led tonight. They led their locker rooms."

Hamlin became the starting safety earlier in the season after Micah Hyde suffered a neck injury in Week 2. And he has answered the call, recording 91 tackles, 1.5 sacks and one forced fumble. Hamlin was selected by the Bills in the sixth round of the 2021 NFL Draft after spending five seasons at the University of Pittsburgh. 

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