The NFL obviously made the right decision to cancel the rest of Monday night’s game between the Buffalo Bills and Cincinnati Bengals after Bills safety Damar Hamlin suffered cardiac arrest on the field.
Now, the league has announced that the game will not be resumed this week.
From the NFL:
The NFL continues to be in regular contact with the medical team caring for Damar Hamlin, and also the Bills and Bengals organizations and the NFL Players Association.
After speaking with both teams and NFLPA leadership, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell informed the clubs today that the Bills-Bengals game will not be resumed this week.
The NFL has made no decision regarding the possible resumption of the game at a later date.
The league has not made any changes to the Week 18 regular season schedule.
We will continue to provide additional information as it becomes available.
In the NFL Rule Book, Rule 17, Emergencies, Unfair Acts, Section 1, Emergencies, the following rules are in place.
ARTICLE 4. EMERGENCY SITUATIONS. The NFL affirms the position that in most circumstances all regular-season and postseason games should be played to their conclusion. If, in the opinion of appropriate League authorities, it is impossible to begin or continue a game due to an emergency, or a game is deemed to be imminently threatened by any such emergency (e.g., severely inclement weather, lightning, flooding, power failure), the following procedures (Articles 5 through 11) will serve as guidelines for the Commissioner and/or the duly appointed representatives. The Commissioner has the authority to review the circumstances of each emergency and to adjust the following procedures in whatever manner the Commissioner deems appropriate. If, in the Commissioner’s opinion, it is reasonable to project that the resumption of an interrupted game would not change its ultimate result or adversely affect any other inter-team competitive issue, the Commissioner is empowered to terminate the game.
ARTICLE 5. LEAGUE AUTHORITY. The League employees vested with the authority to define emergencies under these procedures are the Commissioner, designated representatives from the League office staff, and the game Referee. In those instances where neither the Commissioner nor the designated representative is in attendance at a game, the Referee will have sole authority; provided, however, that if the Referee delays the beginning of or interrupts a game for a significant period of time due to an emergency, the Referee must make every effort to contact the Commissioner or the Commissioner’s designated representative for consultation. In all cases of significant delay, the League authorities will consult with the management of the participating clubs and will attempt to obtain appropriate information from outside sources, if applicable (e.g., weather bureau, police).
ARTICLE 6. LATER DATE. If, because of an emergency, a regular-season or postseason game is not started at its scheduled time and cannot be played at any later time that same day, the game nevertheless must be played on a subsequent date to be determined by the Commissioner.
Obviously, everybody is waiting and praying for clarification and the best possible news regarding Hamlin’s condition.
The NFL has scheduled two games for Saturday, January 7, and the rest of the Week 18 slate on Sunday, January 8.
The Bills released this statement on Tuesday.
Damar Hamlin spent last night in the intensive care unit and remains there today in critical condition at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center.
We are grateful and thankful for the outpouring of support we have received thus far.
— Buffalo Bills (@BuffaloBills) January 3, 2023
