NFL Players Return to Practice After Damar Hamlin’s Collapse

When Buffalo Bills security Damar Hamlin collapsed throughout a “Monday Night Football” recreation from cardiac arrest, gamers and coaches all through the N.F.L. caught their breath, prayed for Hamlin and his household — after which stopped to suppose.

Is the hazard of soccer definitely worth the danger?

Calais Campbell, 36, a veteran defensive finish for the Baltimore Ravens, mentioned on Wednesday that it was “just natural” to ask himself that query.

“You wouldn’t be doing yourself justice if you didn’t contemplate the risk that you were taking and ask if you want to keep putting yourself in that position,” mentioned Campbell, who’s in his fifteenth 12 months within the league. Referring to the hit Hamlin took earlier than his coronary heart stopped beating, Campbell mentioned, “I keep thinking that I’ve tackled like that hundreds of times and I’ve been fine. But what if I’m not fine the next time?”

The household of Hamlin, 24, a second-year participant who collapsed after making a deal with throughout a recreation towards the Cincinnati Bengals, continued to ask for prayers. The most up-to-date replace from the Bills on Hamlin’s situation was a statement on Wednesday afternoon that mentioned he was nonetheless receiving care within the intensive care unit of a Cincinnati hospital, “with signs of improvement noted yesterday and overnight.”

Jordon Rooney, a advertising and marketing consultant for Hamlin, mentioned in an interview Wednesday that issues had been “moving in a positive direction.” Rooney additionally clarified that Hamlin had been resuscitated solely as soon as, not twice, on Monday evening, opposite to what a relative of Hamlin had mentioned.

President Biden advised reporters on the White House on Wednesday that he had spoken with Hamlin’s mom and father. Asked if he believed the N.F.L. was getting too harmful, Biden mentioned: “I don’t know how you avoid it. I don’t.”

“I think working like hell on the helmets and the concussion protocols — that all makes a lot of sense,” he continued. “But it, you know, it is dangerous. You got to just acknowledge it.”

With the ultimate week of the common season scheduled to start Saturday, many N.F.L. groups gathered on Wednesday for the standard midweek recreation planning, walk-throughs and information conferences. Players sat in recliners and joked with one another, and a number of the Ravens even shot water weapons at each other. Music blared all through the locker rooms, as at all times.

But little else was odd. The Bills, nonetheless reeling, didn’t meet with the information media. In different locker rooms, coaches and gamers had been requested how they’d prepare emotionally to return to the game that left Hamlin in vital situation.

They talked about compartmentalizing and going about their enterprise and taking issues as they arrive.

“You can do two things at once,” Cincinnati Bengals Coach Zac Taylor mentioned.

Taylor continued, “You can prepare for a football game on Sunday and you can still support Damar and support those who knew him and are dealing with some emotional stuff during this time.”

But coaches and gamers additionally mentioned they couldn’t cease enthusiastic about Hamlin. Giants Coach Brian Daboll, who was the Bills’ offensive coordinator the earlier 4 seasons, wore a blue hat with Hamlin’s No. 3 on it. Ravens Coach John Harbaugh held a Zoom assembly to let the gamers share their ideas.

Players from a number of groups mentioned they prayed for Hamlin with their crew chaplains. Dr. Lani Lawrence, the Giants’ sports activities psychologist, made herself accessible to discuss to gamers or their members of the family.

“Obviously, we play a violent sport, a collision sport,” mentioned Tyrod Taylor, the Giants’ backup quarterback. “There’s always risk that comes with that. If there’s anything that we need to talk about to get off our chest, she’s there for you.”

Giants security Julian Love, who met Hamlin on the faculty recruiting circuit, mentioned Hamlin’s harm was not simple to compartmentalize.

“A lot of people in this building have never seen something like that,” he mentioned. “Ever in football. And so it’s a very freak thing. I’m not gonna sit here and say it’s not hard to push forward.”

Saquon Barkley, the Giants’ star working again, mentioned he had been so preoccupied with Hamlin and his household’s properly being that he hadn’t stopped to take into account what it might be like to take a giant hit the following time he performed.

“Had not even crossed my mind until you guys actually brought it to my attention,” he mentioned. “Really haven’t sat down myself and thought like, wow, like, I’m actually gonna take the field, too.”

None of the gamers interviewed mentioned they had been contemplating not enjoying this week. Taylor, the Cincinnati coach, mentioned he would assist any participant who selected to take day off. Players perceive that accidents are a part of the sport, he mentioned.

“Players that play football know that; they know what they’re getting into,” Taylor mentioned. “It’s a less than ideal part of the game, but it’s a known part of the game.”

Taylor, who was on the Bengals’ sideline when Hamlin collapsed, talked in regards to the choice to droop Monday evening’s recreation. Though the ESPN play-by-play broadcaster Joe Buck mentioned on tv that the gamers could be given 5 minutes to heat up earlier than resuming play, Taylor mentioned he was by no means advised to proceed the sport. The N.F.L. has additionally mentioned it didn’t give that directive.

After each groups took just a few moments to perceive the state of affairs, Taylor mentioned, he met on the sector with Bills Coach Sean McDermott. Taylor mentioned McDermott advised him, “I need to be at the hospital for Damar, and I shouldn’t be coaching this game.” That dialog, Taylor mentioned, leap began the method of suspending the sport.

“There was no push for anything to happen,” Taylor mentioned. “It was just, let’s let these moments play out, see what the next step is as people get a chance to get their minds right.”

In a memo despatched to groups on Tuesday, N.F.L. Commissioner Roger Goodell mentioned the sport between the Bills and the Bengals wouldn’t resume this week and no choice had been made about when or whether or not it might be rescheduled. The N.F.L. has additionally not introduced any adjustments to the Week 18 schedule.

The Ravens are getting ready to head to Cincinnati on Sunday for a key A.F.C. matchup towards the Bengals, on the identical subject the place Hamlin final performed. Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow mentioned he was trying ahead to the sport as a result of it might carry some normalcy. But he mentioned some gamers is probably not snug returning to the sector.

“I’m sure if you polled the locker room, there’d be mixed votes on that,” Burrow mentioned in a information convention Wednesday. He added: “It’s a business and you know, we’ve got games to play on Sunday. It’s tough to go about your business right now because of what happened.”

For some Ravens gamers, it has been an emotional wrestle to put the blinders again on and snap again to work.

“For the past two days, you could see it on everyone’s face,” Campbell mentioned. “They were in shock about the whole thing and were processing the meaning of it all.”

Juliet Macur reported from Owings Mills, Md., Emmanuel Morgan from Cincinnati, and Jenny Vrentas from East Rutherford, N.J.