CFL player reflects on dangers of football following Damar Hamlin incident

Damar Hamlin suffered cardiac arrest and collapsed on the field after being hit in the chest

CITYnews halifax \ Lindsay Dunn and Meredith Bond

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A member of the Toronto Argonauts says he has been reflecting on the dangers surrounding the game of football after Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin suffered a terrifying incident during Monday Night Football.

Hamlin suffered cardiac arrest and collapsed on the field after being hit in the chest while tackling Cincinnati Bengals wideout Tee Higgins in the first quarter. Medical personnel administered CPR and AED on Hamlin and were able to restart his heart on his field before he was rushed to a nearby trauma centre.

The game was postponed indefinitely, and it’s unclear whether the NFL will schedule a make-up game between two top teams in the AFC.

Henoc Muamba, an 11-year CFL and NFL veteran and 2022 Grey Cup champion, said watching Hamlin collapse live was devastating.

“You watch it, and you put yourself in the situation, and you see the emotion, but it’s overwhelming. I can’t help but think how my wife would feel, how my kids would feel, my parents and siblings and everyone that loves and watches me, how would they feel if that were to be me,” Muamba told CityNews.

Muamba says moments like this remind players, coaches and fans that each person on the field is a human being with lives and loved ones waiting for them at home.

“At times like this, it’s a wake-up call to remember the most important things. And there’s nothing more important than our health. There’s nothing more important than our lives outside of the game of football,” said Muamba.

It’s not the first time an athlete has suffered a medical episode during a professional sporting game. Former NHL player Chris Pronger suffered something similar in 1998 when he took a slapshot to the chest. The longtime defenceman was revived and cleared to play shortly after suffering from a cardiac arrest.

Pronger sent his thoughts and prayers to Hamlin and his family in a tweet, saying, “Prayers that Damar Hamlin can have the same outcome that I was fortunate to have with my incident.”

Two years ago, during the Euro Cup, Denmark’s Christian Eriksen had to be given CPR after going into cardiac arrest during a game against Finland. He was able to return to play eight months later.

Muamba said he has witnessed just twice in his career teammates whose careers were ended on a routine play, but none to the extent of Hamlin’s injuries. This includes one teammate in Montreal who suffered nerve damage to his shoulder and is still working to regain full senses in his arms years later.

“He was down for an extended amount of time; paramedics came on the field, and that’s the difference. We’re used to seeing team therapists going on the field and starting to assess the situation. And whenever you see them take a little bit longer, you start to worry a little bit more, and if you see paramedics field in the case of Mr. Hamlin, we know that it’s extremely severe,” explained Muamba.

He said they are trained to get back up and continue playing.

“If I were down, I would want my teammates to not worry about me but rather focus on the game. And that’s how we’re trained, and that’s what we think about. That’s what we plan on going through when we strap on our helmets and our shoulder pads. But at the end of the day, nothing can prepare you for a situation like Damar Hamlin.”

Displays of support for Hamlin have been evident across multiple professional sports leagues, including the Buffalo Sabres, who wore his number along with the words “Love for Number 3” ahead of their NHL game Tuesday night.

Niagara Falls and other city landmarks have also been lit in Bills team colours for Hamlin.

“A lot of people were starting to hear more about him now, and he’s a terrific young man, and we’re pulling for him and hoping for the best for him,” said Muamba.