LOS ANGELES — It was cloudy in Detroit the day Chuck Hughes died. It was Oct. 24, 1971, and the Lions were hosting the Chicago Bears at Tiger Stadium. Hughes, a wide receiver for the home team, was making his way back to the huddle when he collapsed face-down, his arms motionless by his side. The Bears' Dick Butkus waved frantically toward the benches for help. One doctor administered mouth-to-mouth, another pounded Hughes' chest. It was later reported that he died of a heart attack caused by a blood clot, becoming the first and only NFL player to die on the field. He was 28 years old.
Like many football fans, I had not heard Hughes' story until Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin collapsed on the field in Cincinnati during the first quarter of Monday night's game. Like Hughes', Hamlin's heart had stopped beating. Hamlin received CPR. By Tuesday afternoon, he was still sedated and in critical condition.
Monday night's game was postponed. Unfortunately that did not happen in 1971.
