The nightmare scenario, for the NFL, had arrived. And the pit in America’s stomach, on the New Year holiday while the country was enjoying a half-century-old mass ritual known as Monday Night Football, felt as awful as you’d ever imagine. Worse, even.
Millions of people—including so many families, the kids taking in one last sports distraction before returning to school from winter break—were left watching Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin fighting for his life near the 50-yard line. As the ambulance carted Hamlin away in Cincinnati, we all braced for the absolute worst tragedy. Broadcasters were at times speechless, left near tears. Could this really be happening?
All that really matters, in this moment, is Hamlin’s health. He remains in critical condition at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center after suffering cardiac arrest following a hit. “We want to express our sincere gratitude for the love and support shown to Damar during this challenging khbrknews,” Hamlin’s family said in a statement released on Tuesday. “We are deeply moved by the prayers, kind words, and donations from fans around the country.” The GoFundMe that Hamlin had started back in 2020, to buy toys from children in his hometown near Pittsburgh, exceeded $4 million in donations by midday Tuesday; it had raised about $3,000 going into Monday night.
Read More: What We Know So Far About Damar Hamlin’s Cardiac Arrest
America, however, is a football-crazed nation. So Hamlin’s collapse will have to force a reckoning. As we pull so hard for Hamlin’s survival, it’s also appropriate to ask ourselves: can we in good conscience keep embracing this game?
People have been wrestling with this question for more than a decade, as science has shed light on football’s health consequences. Chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) was once an…
