football

Buffalo Bills Offer Positive Update About Damar Hamlin

by

After suffering a terrifying health scare, more information is being shared about Damar Hamlin. The sports world has its eyes keenly focused on the NFL after Hamlin collapsed on the field during a game earlier this week. The Buffalo Bills star took a hit, as many professional football players do, but this resulted in two cardiac arrests.

“Per the physicians caring for Damar Hamlin at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center, Damar has shown remarkable improvement over the past 24 hours,” the Buffalo Bills shared in a new statement.

Read More: President Biden Addresses NFL Safety Concerns After Talking To Damar Hamlin’s Parents

They continued: “While still critically ill, he has demonstrated that he appears to be neurologically intact. His lungs continue to heal and he is making steady progress.”

“We are grateful for the love and support we have received.”

Following Hamlin’s injury, comments made by Skip Bayless caused a firestorm on social media. Bayless shared a tweet questioning if the NFL would cancel the game after Hamlin collapsed. Many believed his post showed insensitivity to the matter at hand.

CINCINNATI, UNITED STATES – JANUARY 4: Fans gather outside the UC Medical Center for Damar Hamlin, a National Football League (NFL) player in the US, who receive medical attention after suffering from a “cardiac arrest.” during a football game, in Cincinnati, United States on January 4, 2022. Damar Hamlin on Monday collapsed during a football game and is in a “critical condition.” (Photo by Kyle Mazza/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
Read More: Damar Hamlin’s Family Is “Frustrated” By Criticism Of Tee Higgins

The controversy would make its way to Undisputed, where Bayless and co-host Shannon Sharpe were at odds. The pair have had tense exchanges in recent weeks, and some believe this latest debacle could lead to more serious division between the two.

HNHH will keep you updated as more is shared about Damar Hamlin and his recovery.

Damar Hamlin’s Family Is “Frustrated” By Criticism Of Tee Higgins

by

Damar Hamlin’s family is reportedly “frustrated” and “mad” about the criticism being made of Tee Higgins. The Bengals wide receiver tackled Hamlin on the play that sent him into cardiac arrest.

Jordon Rooney, Hamlin’s marketing representative and longtime friend, informed Bills reporter Rachel Hopmayer of the family’s defense of Higgins.

TAMPA, FLORIDA – DECEMBER 18: Tee Higgins #85 of the Cincinnati Bengals catches a touchdown pass during the third quarter in the game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Raymond James Stadium on December 18, 2022 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Douglas P. DeFelice/Getty Images)

“This isn’t supporting Damar,” Rooney said about the online backlash. “If you think you’re supporting Damar by bashing Tee, you’re not supporting Damar.”

Rooney added that Higgins has already reached out and is in contact with the family while Hamlin remains hospitalized.

“All signs point to him being a great human being who genuinely cares and feels bad, and the family feels bad that Tee would have any guilt towards the situation,” Rooney said.

Dallas Cowboys’ Micah Parsons has also come to the defense of Higgins in the days since Monday night. He labeled the hit “a freak accident” on Twitter in response to criticism of Higgins.

Hamlin went down in the first quarter of the Bills’ game against the Bengals. After receiving medical assistance on the field, he was rushed to a local hospital. The NFL postponed the remainder of the game and has not announced when it will be rescheduled.

As of Wednesday, Hamlin remains under intensive care at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center. The Bills say that he has shown “signs of improvement” since Monday night.

Hamlin’s family is currently running a GoFundMe campaign that has raised over $6.5 million since its inception.

Check out Rooney’s comments on Higgins below.

[Via]

GoFundMe Takes Down Fake Damar Hamlin Fundraisers

by

GoFundMe is taking down numerous fake fundraisers for Damar Hamlin. The Buffalo Bills safety suffered cardiac arrest during the team’s game against the Cincinnati Bengals after collapsing on the field.

According to TMZ, the company is taking down all fraudulent GoFundMe campaigns for Hamlin as they go live.

CINCINNATI, OHIO – JANUARY 02: Fans look on as the ambulance leaves carrying Damar Hamlin #3 of the Buffalo Bills after he collapsed after making a tackle against the Cincinnati Bengals during the first quarter at Paycor Stadium on January 02, 2023 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Kirk Irwin/Getty Images)

They also confirmed that there is only one genuine fundraiser organized by the family. That campaign has raised over $6.5 million as of Wednesday afternoon.

“This fundraiser was initially established to support a toy drive for Damar’s community, sponsored by the Chasing M’s Foundation. However, it has received renewed support in light of Damar’s current battle and we can’t thank all of you enough. Your generosity and compassion mean the world to us,” a message on the campaign page reads.

It continues: “If you would like to show your support and contribute to Damar’s community initiatives and his current fight, this is the place to do so. This is the only current fund that is being used by the Hamlin Family.”

Damar Hamlin remains at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center. On Wednesday, the Bills confirmed that he will remain under intensive care. They also announced that he has shown “signs of improvement” since Monday night.

The NFL has also announced that the game between the Bills and Bengals will not resume this week. Play was stopped after Hamlin’s injury, which occurred midway through the first quarter. The league remains undecided as to whether to the game at a later date.

[Via]

Shannon Sharpe Confronts Skip Bayless Over Damar Hamlin Tweet

by

After receiving a wave of backlash over his tweet about Damar Hamlin, Skip Bayless refuses to remove the message. NFL fans watched as Buffalo Bills star Damar Hamlin suffered a medical emergency on the field. As real-time updates have been offered regarding his health status, Bayless emerged with a tweet that rubbed many the wrong way.

“No doubt the NFL is considering postponing the rest of this game – but how?” Bayless questioned. “This late in the season, a game of this magnitude is crucial to the regular-season outcome … which suddenly seems so irrelevant.”

Read More: Damar Hamlin’s Uncle Reveals He Was Resuscitated Twice, Shares Concern Of Lung Damage

The game would be stopped, but not quickly enough for some. Bayless was accused of focusing on the game rather than Hamlin. He took to Undisputed solo to address the controversy, and many believed Shannon Sharpe’s absence was because of their tension.

This morning (January 4), the two men joined together on their platform, and viewers could immediately sense something was off. During the exchange, Bayless made it clear that he wouldn’t be deleting his controversial tweet.

“Skip tweeted something, and although I disagreed with the tweet, hopefully, Skip will take it down,’ Sharpe said. Bayless interrupted to add, “Timeout… I stand by what I tweeted.”

Read More: Skip Bayless’ Damar Hamlin Tweet Causes Reactions From Stephen Jackson & Kyle Kuzma

Additionally, Sharpe spoke directly about Hamlin’s injury. The NFL star’s family has been updating the public about his status. It’s reported Hamlin suffered a cardiac arrest and wasn’t breathing on his own after being hit during Monday night’s game.

“There’s been a lot of speculation on why I wasn’t on air yesterday, and I won’t get into speculation, conjecture, innuendo, but I will say this,” said Sharpe. “Watching that game on Monday night, what happened to Damar Hamlin struck me a little different.”

“As the brotherhood of the NFL, when injuries happen—and we know injuries are part of the game,” he continued. “I’ve seen guys suffer for ACLs and Achilles tear, but I’ve never had to see anybody have to be revived and fight for their life on the field.”

We will keep you updated as more about Damar Hamlin is shared. Check out Shannon Sharpe and Skip Bayless’s exchange above.

Skip Bayless’ Damar Hamlin Tweet Causes Reactions From Stephen Jackson & Kyle Kuzma

by

Last night, Buffalo Bills Safety Damar Hamlin suffered one of the worst injuries the sports world has ever seen.

During the first quarter of the Bills game against the Cincinnati Bengals on Monday (December 2), Hamlin collapsed on the field after making a tackle.

Damar Hamlin #3 of the Buffalo Bills looks on prior to a game against the Miami Dolphins at Hard Rock Stadium on September 25, 2022 in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Photo by Megan Briggs/Getty Images)

The world was immediately sent into shock when the 24-year-old had to receive CPR for nearly 10 minutes following the incident. Reports indicate that he went into cardiac arrest.

Both Bengals and Bills players began surrounding Hamlin as this was going on. He subsequently left the stadium in an ambulance to take him to the University of Cincinnati Medial Center. He remains there, reportedly in critical condition.

As the world was awaiting an update on the 24-year-old’s status, Skip Bayless took to his Twitter account to share his thoughts on the league’s looming decision on the rest of the game. Evidently, everyone was seemingly in agreement that the game should be postponed.

“No doubt the NFL is considering postponing the rest of this game – but how? This late in the season, a game of this magnitude is crucial to the regular-season outcome … which suddenly seems so irrelevant,” the sports columnist writes in his controversial tweet.

Stephen Jackson subsequently took to his Instagram Stories to share his thoughts on the 71-year-old’s tweet. “You know what’s crazy? If it was Tom Brady, I guarantee you would’ve chose your words wisely. Somebody that’s been in journalism for over 40 years knows exactly what to say and how to say it,” says the former NBA player.

“We ain’t talking about an athlete that went into journalism, we talking about somebody that’s been in journalism their whole life. He never was an athlete. Not once was he an athlete. So journalism is his thing, just like basketball is my thing. He knows what he’s saying and when he’s saying it. He not getting no pass for this. But now everybody on his ass, now he wanna come with a lame ass apology. And don’t come on TV and say, ‘we can’t be insensitive to this situation.’ You wrote that tweet, nobody else,” he continues afterwards.

Additionally, Kyle Kuzma also has some choice words for the Undisputed co-host. “How come there is no repercussions for any of Skip Bayless’s insensitive things that he has said over the years?? Hmmmm….” says the Wizards Power Forward.

In 2020, Bayless publicly criticized Dak Prescott and implied that he was a bad leader for the Cowboys. This came after the Quarterback revealed that he had been dealing with depression due to the pandemic and his brother’s suicide. “I don’t have sympathy for him going public with, ‘I got depressed. I suffered depression early in Covid, to the point that I couldn’t even go work out.’ Look, he’s the Quarterback of America’s team,” he says in the clip.

Regardless, the 71-year-old has since apologized for his seemingly insensitive tweet. “Nothing is more important than that young man’s health. That was the point of my last tweet. I’m sorry if that was misunderstood but his health is all that matters. Again, everything else is irrelevant. I prayed for him & will continue to,” he clarifies.

Our thoughts and prayers continue to be with Damar Hamlin and his family. Stay tuned to HNHH for any further updates.

[via]

Damar Hamlin’s Family Asks For Prayers After Scary Injury

by

The family of Damar Hamlin has released a statement thanking fans for their support and requesting continued prayer for the Buffalo Bills safety. Hamlin suffered a scary injury after being hit by Cincinnati Bengals receiver Tee Higgins on Monday night.

Medical staff performed CPR on Hamlin on the field, before rushing him to a local hospital. The Bills later confirmed that Hamlin suffered cardiac arrest after the hit.

CINCINNATI, OHIO – JANUARY 02: Fans look on as the ambulance leaves carrying Damar Hamlin #3 of the Buffalo Bills after he collapsed after making a tackle against the Cincinnati Bengals during the first quarter at Paycor Stadium on January 02, 2023 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Kirk Irwin/Getty Images)

The Hamlin family wrote: “On behalf of our family, we want to express our sincere gratitude for the love and support shown to Damar during this challenging time. We are deeply moved by the prayers, kind words, and donations from fans around the country.”

They continued: “We also want to acknowledge the dedicated first responders and healthcare professionals at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center who have provided exceptional care to Damar. We feel so blessed to be part of the Buffalo Bills organization and to have their support. We also want to thank Coach Taylor and the Bengals for everything they’ve done.”

“Your generosity and compassion mean the world to us,” the statement concluded. “Please keep Damar in your prayers. We will release updates as soon as we have them.”

After the injury, Hamlin spent the rest of Monday night in the intensive care unit at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center. As of Tuesday afternoon, he is still there.

Hamlin has been starting for the Bills since Week 2 when Micah Hyde went out with a neck injury.

Check out the statement from the family of Damar Hamlin below.

[Via]

Ryan Clark Reacts To Damar Hamlin’s Injury

by

Ryan Clark had an emotional reaction to Damar Hamlin’s frightening injury on Monday night during the Buffalo Bills game against the Cincinnati Bengals. Addressing the situation on ESPN’s SportsCenter after the game, Clark spoke candidly about the “ugly” side of football.

He began: “This is about Damar Hamlin, and 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.”

CINCINNATI, OH – JANUARY 2: Josh Allen #17 of the Buffalo Bills reacts to an injury sustained by Damar Hamlin #3 during the first quarter of an NFL football game against the Cincinnati Bengals at Paycor Stadium on January 2, 2023 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images)

From there, Clark continued: “And when Damar Hamlin falls to the turf, and when you see the medical staff rush to the field and both teams are on the field, you realize this isn’t normal. You realize, this just isn’t football. And so many times in this game, and in our job as well, we use the cliches. ‘I’m ready to die for this.’ I’m willing to give my life for this.’ ‘It’s time to go to war.’ And I think sometimes, we use those things so much, we forget that part of living this dream is putting your life at risk. And tonight, we got to see a side of football that is extremely ugly. A side of football that no one ever wants to see or never wants to admit exists.”

The incident occurred in the first quarter after Tee Higgins slammed into Hamlin. Medical staff performed CPR on Hamlin on the field, before rushing him to a local hospital. The Bills later confirmed that Hamlin suffered cardiac arrest after the hit.

Clark suffered his own medical emergency during his NFL career in a game against the Broncos in Denver in 2007. The high altitude exacerbated a pain in his side. It turned out he suffered a splenic infarction from a sickle cell trait he was diagnosed with as a child.

Check out Ryan Clark’s comments on Damar Hamlin below.

[Via]

Skip Bayless Apologizes For Insensitive Damar Hamlin Tweet

by

Skip Bayless has apologized for his controversial tweet from Monday night regarding the injury of Damar Hamlin. The Buffalo Bills safety collapsed during the team’s game against the Cincinnati Bengals after suffering cardiac arrest.

“No doubt the NFL is considering postponing the rest of this game – but how?” Bayless tweeted at the time. “This late in the season, a game of this magnitude is crucial to the regular-season outcome … which suddenly seems so irrelevant.”

BRISTOL, CT – AUGUST 30: Sports journalist and television personality, Skip Bayless is featured on First Take, ESPN2’s daily sports talk show. On Friday morning, August 30, 2013, Bayless participated in debate with Stephen A. Smith as he does everyday, during their two hour morning program from 10am – noon. (Photo by Christopher Capozziello/For The Washington Post via Getty Images)

After he began catching backlash for the post, Bayless attempted to clarify what he meant.

“Nothing is more important than that young man’s health. That was the point of my last tweet. I’m sorry if that was misunderstood but his health is all that matters,” Bayless tweeted.

Finally, during Tuesday morning’s episode of Undisputed, Bayless apologized at length.

“I apologize for what for what we’re going to set out to do here today, if it offends anyone because we’re going to try to do the show pretty much as usual we do the show,” he said. “I’ll admit up front that I’m still shook up what happened last night to Damar Hamlin.”

“In fact, I’m not sure I’m capable of doing this show today,” he added.

Bayless went on to say that he and the crew struggled with the decision as to whether to stay on the air on Tuesday.

While Skip Bayless was on the show, his usual co-host, Shannon Sharpe was not present. It is unclear why, although Bayless confirmed he’ll be back on Wednesday.

Check out Bayless’ aforementioned tweet below.

[Via]

BYU Football Player Dies At 22 After Tragic Construction Accident

by

BYU offensive lineman Sione Veikoso has died at the age of 22 after a tragic construction accident. The football team’s head coach, Kalani Sitake, confirmed his passing in a statement on social media.

“We are extremely saddened to learn of the tragic death of one of our brothers, Sione Veikoso,” Sitake wrote on Twitter. “His passing is heartbreaking to all of us. We offer our deepest condolences and prayers to his family as we share in their grief. Our love for you is forever, Sione!”

PALO ALTO, CA – NOVEMBER 26: The BYU Cougars football team including Houston Heimuli #35, Sione Veikoso #72, Kingsley Suamataia #78, Alden Tofa #51, Joe Tukuafu #52, Lorenzo Fauatea #55, Peter Falaniko #68 and others pose for a group photo prior to an NCAA college football game against the Stanford Cardinal on November 26, 2022 at Stanford Stadium in Palo Alto, California. (Photo by David Madison/Getty Images)

The BYU football program also offered its condolences in a statement: “On behalf of the entire BYU Football family, our thoughts and prayers are with Sione’s family and friends during this extremely difficult time. Rest in Love Sione. God be with you till we meet again.”

The accident occurred in his hometown of Kailua, Hawai’i, on Friday. A total of six men were on the site when a 15-foot retaining rock wall collapsed and trapped three of them. After emergency personnel cleared the rubble, they pronounced Veikoso dead on the scene.

Veikoso began his collegiate career at Arizona State but transferred to BYU in the summer of 2022. While at BYU, he played in one game as a redshirt freshman.

Prior to college, Veikoso played for Kailua High School in Hawai’i before serving a full-time mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Manaus, Brazil, from 2018-20.

Check out the statement from Kalani Sitake below.

[Via]

Russell Wilson Gets Emotional Thanking Teammates For Their Support

by

Russell Wilson gave an emotional press conference following the Denver Broncos’ Week 17 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. Speaking with the press, Wilson thanked his teammates for their recent support on social media.

“It meant the world to me because I give my all every day,” Wilson said of their messages. “I don’t know anything less. I’m grateful for these guys because they work their butts off and for them to have my back means the world to me. Jerry works at his craft every day and Kendall [Hinton], KJ, Tim [Patrick], and Courtland [Sutton], all of those guys do. All I want to do is help this team win and us find a way to do it. I know we’re going to overcome all of those obstacles and I’m not going to blink because I know who I am.”

KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI – JANUARY 01: Russell Wilson #3 of the Denver Broncos rushes for a touchdown against the Kansas City Chiefs during the fourth quarter of the game at Arrowhead Stadium on January 01, 2023 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by David Eulitt/Getty Images)

Among the teammates to stick up for Wilson were Jerry Jeudy and K.J. Hamler.

Jeudy wrote: “I ain’t gonna keep looking at these false statements about my boii russ man, as a teammate who sees the elite work ethic this man has is incomparable. He got an office because he’s committed his life to this game. I never had a teammate who motivate me more then russ.”

“Y’all really trying to bring this man down,” Hamler further added. “Russ Is the most dedicated and hard working teammate I have had. And y’all wanna bring up this to put him under. Man stop it. 3ski a legend in my eyes. I Understand this season isn’t the way we wanted nor anybody wanted.”

Wilson, who joined the Broncos in 2022, is in the midst of the worst year of his career. The former Super Bowl champion has thrown just 13 touchdowns while giving up 10 interceptions through Week 17. The Broncos are currently 4-12 on the season.

Check out Jerry Jeudy and K.J. Hamler’s tweets for Russell Wilson below.

[Via]