Damar Hamlin

Damar Hamlin Latest: Buffalo Bills Share Health Update as Globe Prays for Recovery

Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin was hospitalized in critical condition after having his heartbeat restored on the field following a tackle on Bengals' Tee Higgins on Monday Night Football. Here's the latest info

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What to Know

  • Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin, 24, collapsed on the field on Monday Night Football after tackling Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins; he was down on the field for 10 minutes and needed CPR
  • A family spokesperson said Hamlin remained in critical condition as of Wednesday afternoon; doctors have noted slight improvement, he said, but a long road to recovery lies ahead
  • The NFL postponed Monday night's game indefinitely. It has said no changes have been made to the Week 18 schedule and is working with the players' union to provide all the necessary resources

Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin remained hospitalized in critical condition Wednesday after going into cardiac arrest following an on-field tackle during Monday Night Football, but there appear to be some small signs of progress, according to a family spokesperson and the NFL team.

Jordon Rooney, a marketing rep and Hamlin friend who released the family's first official statement a day ago, told NBC News he couldn't go into specifics but emphasized a small step forward had been made. He said his friend still has a long recovery ahead of him, adding that he was still sedated and in intensive care Wednesday.

University of Cincinnati Medical Center, the level one trauma center where Hamlin has been intubated since his transfer, said Wednesday morning it had no updates to share regarding the 24-year-old's health status. Rooney said further medical updates will come directly from the Buffalo Bills, who tweeted an update Wednesday afternoon.

According to the team, Hamlin has shown signs of improvement, both Tuesday and overnight into Wednesday, and is expected to remain in the intensive care unit. No other details were immediately provided.

The NFL postponed the game, an unprecedented move in an unprecedented situation that resonates well beyond the sports world, as coaches and teammates -- and America -- struggled to understand what they had just seen unfold before their eyes, either live on the field or on live national television. It has not been rescheduled.

The league has been trying to navigate its tough playoff schedule, one that involves both teams that were playing on Monday night, and players' emotions -- all the while keeping its focus clearly, and primarily, on Hamlin.

An outpouring of support continues to swell, from strangers across the globe to floods of fans on social media, candlelight vigils from outside the hospital in Ohio to Hamlin's home field in Buffalo and more. The wife of Bengals' head coach Zac Taylor has spearheaded meal catering efforts for Hamlin's family, many of whom were at the game and have been by his side since he went down on the field in a collapse that stunned America.

Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin remains in critical condition after cardiac arrest on the field during the game against the Cincinnati Bengals on Monday. NBC New York's Linda Gaudino chats with Hackensack Meridian Health's Dr. David Landers who explains the possible and rare cause called commotio cordis.

Hamlin recently completed his third annual toy drive for his hometown with a goal of $2,500. By Tuesday night, the donation page had more than $5.5 million raised.

Dorrian Glenn, Hamlin's uncle, told the NFL Network it's been "tremendous" to see such support.

"A lot of people don't get a chance to see how loved they are while they're alive," Glenn said. "So for him to have a situation where he could've been taken away and he has a chance to come back to see all that love that he got, it's truly an amazing thing."

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