When Bills safety Damar Hamlin collapsed in the first quarter of Monday night’s game against the Bengals, the entire NFL world held its breath. Fans across the country feared the worst as they watched NFL players crying on the field while Hamlin was administered CPR and loaded into an ambulance.
After the injury in real time, ESPN broadcaster Joe Buck said that teams were allowed five minutes to warm up before resuming play. Shortly after that decision was announced, though, the Bills and Bengals left the field and returned to the locker room, as the game officially entered what was called a temporary suspension. It was later postponed, and teams and fans left the stadium.
NFL executive vice president of football operations Troy Vincent strongly denied the NFL considered resuming play while on a conference call with media shortly after the incident. On Wednesday, he doubled down on this.
