Buffalo Bills player Damar Hamlin sadly suffered a cardiac arrest during a game against the Cincinnati Bengals Monday night, and ESPN is being praised for how it handled the live broadcast during the medical emergency.
The 24-year-old safety reportedly collapsed on the field following a routine tackle with just 5:58 left in the game's first quarter, suffering a cardiac arrest.
As reported by multiple outlets, ambulances arrived on the scene within minutes, before paramedics administered CPR to Hamlin on the field. Players and coaches from both teams knelt around him and prayed for his safety.
Buffalo Bills later posted a statement on their Twitter account, writing: "Damar Hamlin suffered a cardiac arrest following a hit in our game versus the Bengals. His heartbeat was restored on the field and he was transferred to the UC Medical Center for further testing and treatment. He is currently sedated and listed in critical condition."
The NFL also released a statement following the emergency incident, revealing that Hamlin was in a "critical condition."
"Hamlin received immediate medical attention on the field by team and independent medical staff and local paramedics. He was then transported to a local hospital where he is in critical condition," they said.
Following the distressing incident, sports broadcaster ESPN - who was responsible for airing the game - has been praised for their on-air handling of Hamlin's cardiac arrest. They were quick to cut the national feed while Hamlin lay unconscious on the field.
ESPN shifted in and out of studio talk and SportsCenter, as hosts from both programs spoke emotionally about the worrying turn of events. Booger McFarland - who had a nine-year stint in the NFL - said of the incident: "It's something like we've never seen before. I've never been a part of it, never heard about it [...] I can only imagine what my family would [be thinking]. They'd want updates of what's going on, just to make sure in real-time. That's somebody's son, somebody's brother, somebody's father. They want to know what's going on," he added, via The New York Post.
Ryan Clark - an ESPN analyst and former NFL star who suffered a splenic infarction on the field during the 2007 season - added his perspective on the situation, stating (via Sporting News): "I think the first thing: This is about Damar Hamlin. It's about a young man at 24 years old that was living his dream. That, a few hours ago, was getting ready to play the biggest game of his NFL career. And there's probably nowhere else in the world he wanted to be. And now, he fights for his life.
"I dealt with this before, and I watched my teammates, for days, come to my hospital bed and just cry. I had them call me and tell me that they didn't think I was gonna make it. And now this team has to deal with that, and they have no answers.
"And so the next time that we get upset at our favorite fantasy player, or we're upset that the guy on our team doesn't make the play, and we're saying he's worthless and we're saying 'you get to make all this money,' we should remember that these guys are putting their lives on the line to live this dream," he added.
Both Clark and ESPN were praised on social media for their honest and emotional responses to Hamlin's cardiac arrest, with one person writing: "That's an A+ member of sports media and he should be recognized as such. Honor to listen to his commentary as much as it must have been a privilege to be his teammate."
"Ryan Clark and the whole ESPN staff should be commended for the work they've done on this horrible situation," another tweet read.
Our thoughts are with Damar Hamlin's family, friends, teammates, and fans at this difficult time.