It is still unclear if the Buffalo Bills will take to the field on Sunday for their season finale, however, they had a very positive moment on Wednesday that could open the door to the team suiting up in Week 18.
There are few sports fans around the country who aren’t aware of the scary events that occurred on Monday night during the Buffalo Bills and Cincinnati Bengals game. Following a tackle on wide receiver Tee Higgins, defensive back Damar Hamlin collapsed. The 24-year-old needed to be resuscitated on the field, and later at the hospital, after suffering cardiac arrest likely caused by Commotio cordis.
Hamlin remains in intensive care at a Cincinnati hospital, but is showing signs of “progress.” However, the horrifying moment led to the Bills vs. Bengals game being postponed and it may likely be scratched from the NFL schedule. There have also been some questions about if the Buffalo Bills will even take to the field on Sunday against the New England Patriots.
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If they do suit up, an important conversation the team had on Wednesday may be looked back on as the impetus to return to the field.
Buffalo Bills players had a ‘needed’ Zoom call with Damar Hamlin’s father Wednesday
On Thursday morning, ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter reported that Buffalo Bills players actually spoke with Damar Hamlin’s father, Mario, yesterday as they continue to wrestle with the idea of returning to action after watching their teammate nearly die on Monday.
“Damar Hamlin’s father, Mario Hamlin, addressed the entire Bills team on a zoom call Wednesday to personally update everyone in attendance on his son, per source. Mario Hamlin informed the Bills that Damar was making progress and, in the words of one source, ‘the team needed it.'”
– Report on Bills call with Hamlin’s father
While this doesn’t mean the Bills are guaranteed to play on Sunday, it had to be therapeutic to hear directly from Damar Hamlin’s father about his positive progress. And if there were any words of encouragement from Mario Hamlin to play, that would certainly go a long way toward boosting the Bills’ morale heading into the final week of the NFL season.
With the Bills-Bengals game likely being ruled a no-contest or tie, Buffalo is out of contention for a bye in the first round bye in the NFL playoffs.