CINCINNATI — After Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin went into cardiac arrest during Monday Night Football's game against the Cincinnati Bengals, the first thing Bengals coach Zac Taylor said Bills coach Sean McDermott told him was that he needed to be at the hospital with Hamlin.
"'I need to be at the hospital with Damar, and I shouldn't be coaching this game,'" Taylor said McDermott told him.
Head coach Zac Taylor spoke for the first time Wednesday regarding the incident and his experience.
Taylor first and foremost thanked the medical personnel for their quick response following Hamlin collapsing.
"They were on it," Taylor said. "They were composed."
Hamlin was rushed to the hospital after tackling Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins during the first quarter of the game. He got up from the play, but within a matter of seconds he collapsed. The 24-year-old was resuscitated twice — once on the field and once at the hospital, according to Hamlin's uncle, Dorrian Glenn.
Damar Hamlin suffered a cardiac arrest following a hit in our game versus the Bengals. His heartbeat was restored on the field and he was transferred to the UC Medical Center for further testing and treatment. He is currently sedated and listed in critical condition.
— Buffalo Bills (@BuffaloBills) January 3, 2023
"I've never been a part of something like that on the field," Taylor said. "There's no protocol for that."
Taylor said everyone on the field could feel the seriousness of the situation.
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Following the immediate rush of medical personnel onto the field, Bengals and Bills players were visibly emotional along the sidelines. Some players were huddled around the medical staff, while others were kneeling and holding hands.
After the ambulance carrying Hamlin left the field, Taylor and McDermott — who Taylor said he has great respect for — met on the field and brought their teams to their respective locker rooms as the game was "temporarily suspended."
The two coaches could be seen in a stadium tunnel speaking together and passing a phone back and forth, talking to NFL officials.
Taylor didn't divulge the majority of what him and McDermott spoke about, only commenting on McDermott's concern for Hamlin.
Taylor said the Bengals captains approached him and McDermott to go speak with the Bills captains.
"For them to come together ... you could tell that was something both locker rooms needed," Taylor said.
Quarterbacks Joe Burrow and Josh Allen were both seen walking into the opposing teams' locker rooms.
The game was suspended indefinitely shortly after. The Bills left Cincinnati Monday night to return home to Buffalo.
"We're all praying for the best possible outcome here," he said.
The Buffalo Bills said Wednesday that Hamlin remains in critical condition in to the UC.
Damar remains in the ICU in critical condition with signs of improvement noted yesterday and overnight.
He is expected to remain under intensive care as his health care team continues to monitor and treat him.
— Buffalo Bills (@BuffaloBills) January 4, 2023
Hamlin's uncle told ESPN Tuesday night he remains sedated on a ventilator, though he's improved from needing 100% oxygen to needing only 50%.
The NFL announced Tuesday the game would not be played this week. There is currently no word on when, or if, the game will even be played as teams head into the final week of the regular season.
The Bills are scheduled to play the New England Patriots on Sunday, but offensive tackle Dion Dawkins said the team is focusing on Hamlin.
"Anything we have to give is for Damar and his family," Dawkins said. "We understand that we have a job ... but every emotion, every bit of energy that we have, we're giving it to Damar."
Taylor said he and the Bengals are focusing on their Week 18 game against the Baltimore Ravens.
"You do have to move forward as a team because we do have a game to play Sunday," Taylor said.
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