Monday Night Football provided more than the expected drama with Buffalo Bills’ tackle 24-year-old Damar Hamlin collapsing to the turf unresponsive after what looked like a routine play on Bengal’s wide receive Tee Higgins. Damar’s lifeless body was administered emergency CPR with a defibrillator on the field in front Bills and Bengal players, prompting strong emotional reactions. As the incident unfolded, ESPN’s announcers Jack Budk and Troy Aikman did everything possible to explain what was happening but without any information about Hamlin’s medical condition, unknown to everyone until the Bills released a statement early Tuesday morning, leaving broadcasters, players and fans completely in the dark about his medical status. Once Hamlin was rushed by ambulance to University of Cincinnati Medical Center, you’d expect some kind of medical updates.
No medical update came from UC Medical Center with the Bills announcing Tuesday morning the preliminary diagnosis. “Damar Hamlin suffered as cardiac arrest following a hit in our game versus the Bengals,” said the Bills PR department. “His heartbeat was restored on the field and he was transferred to the UC Medical Center for further testing and treatment. He’s currently sedated and listed in critical condition,” giving very little in the way of a medical update. Twelve hours after ESPN’s audience watched in horror as Hamlin was rushed to the ER, broadcasters, players and the public still don’t know Hamlin’s real condition. UC Cincinnati Medical Center refused to provide updates through the night, including today, keeping everyone guessing about Hamlin’s actual medical state. Speculation about Hamlin in a medically-induced coma or on a ventilator still hasn’t been confirmed.
So when ESPN’s broadcast team in the booth with Buck and Aikman bounced to the New York headquarters with Suzy Kolber, Buggar McFaralane and Adam Schefter, all five broadcasters and journalists had nothing new to report, other than saying, “there’s noting left to say.” NFL officials put out a statement that Hamlin was in “critical condition,” leaving more questions than answers about Hamlin’s state. Once the NFL said the game was postponed at 10:00 p.m. EST broadcasters, players and the public still had no real medical update of Hamlin’s condition. Only Jordon Rooney, Hamlin’s marketing representing, put out a statement that Hamlin’s vitals were back to normal as he was sedated an put on a breathing tube, saying more than UC Cincinnati Medical Center, the NFL or the Players Assn. Fans were still in the stands waiting patiently when the behind the scenes talks with Bills and Begnals went on.
As of 2: 00 p.m. EST today still no medical update from UC Cincinnati. Medical Center, the NFL or anyone else about the real condition of Damar Hamlin. Before postponing the game at 10:00 p.m. EST last night, NFL executive Vice President Troy Vincent admitted coaches and players were traumatized watching in real time Hamlin not breathing, with paramedics resuscitating him on the field, hinting that the game would not resume. Whatever discussion took place between Bills’ coach Sean McDermott and Bengals coach Zac Taylor, it was only about postponing the game. No one, including the NFL, ESPN, or UC Cincinnati Medical Center provided any updates about Hamlin’s conditions. No one knows whether doctors expect him to recover from the so-called “cardiac arrest,” or whether he’ll sustain lasting injuries. Information was not forthcoming from any authoritative source.
ESPN’s sideline reporter Lisa Salters tried to give what little she observed in the way of a layman’s medical update, saying she observed Hamilin receiving emergency CPR on the field.. Salters reported that Hamlin was placed on a backboard before loaded on the ambulance, rushed to UC Cincinnati Medical Center. When it comes to the latest information, no one knows anything more that 18 hours after the incident. No medical updates from UC Cincinnati Medical Center, from Hamlin’s family or the NFL other than saying Hamlin is in “critical condition.” For whatever reason, everyone is in the dark, when simple periodic communications could allay the public’s anxiety about Hamlin’s real medical state. No one knows why the blackout on Hamlin’s condition. Certainly doctors attending to him could keep the public informed in real time about his current medical condition.
However tragic and traumatic the events on Monday Night Football, it was unfair to the NFL, ESPN and certainly the public to be given no medical updates on Hamlin’s real time condition. ESPN’s hosts were placed in the most awkward situation imaginable trying to fill programming time with back-and-forth banter without any real medical updates. Whoever decided to blackout medical updates on Hamlin’s condition should be held accountable for making a tragic situation far worse for everyone following the shocking incident. “I’ve never seen anything like that before,” said former NFL quarterback Kurt Warner. All the statements from players asking the public for their prayers didn’t help allay growing anxiety about Hamlin’s real time condition. Calling Hamlin in “critical condition” only made things worse for everyone knowing that UC Cincinnati Medical Center knew the real story.
About the Author
John M. Curtis writes politically neutral commentary analyzing spin in national and global news. He’s editor of OnlineColumnist.com and author of Dodging The Bullet and Operation Charisma.
