ESPN reporter Joe Buck doubled down on his statement that the NFL wanted players to resume Monday’s game in Cincinnati after Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin suffered a sudden heart attack.
Troy Vincent, the NFL’s Executive Vice President of Football Operations and a former NFL defensive back who played three seasons in Buffalo, denied that claim in a conference call Monday night with reporters: ‘I’m not sure if where did that come from.’
But speaking to the New York Post, Buck repeated his statement that an NFL representative told the network that play would resume after a five-minute warm up period.
ESPN broadcaster Joe Buck doubled down on his statement that the NFL wanted players to resume Monday’s game in Cincinnati following Damar Hamlin’s sudden heart attack
The Buffalo Bills gather on the field as CPR is administered to Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin (3) after a play in the first quarter of the NFL Week 17 game between the Cincinnati Bengals and the Buffalo Bills at Paycor Stadium in Downtown Cincinnati. The game was suspended in the first quarter after Hamlin was taken away in an ambulance
‘They said they were going to give these players five minutes of warm-up to get ready,’ Buck told the Post.
Hamlin remains sedated in critical condition after suffering a cardiac arrest during Monday’s game in Cincinnati. He was hurt in the first quarter after arguing with Bengals receiver Tee Higgins.
Higgins’ shoulder hit Hamlin’s chest on the play, but it’s hard to say whether that led to the Bills player’s heart attack. Following the collision, Hamlin got to his feet but was quickly shaken before falling to the turf, where he lay motionless.
Troy Vincent (left), the NFL’s Executive Vice President of Football Operations and a former NFL defensive back who played three seasons in Buffalo, denied Buck’s claim in a conference call Monday night with reporters: ‘I’m not sure where that came from. .’ Hamlin (right) remains in critical condition at a Cincinnati hospital
Hamlin remains sedated in critical condition after suffering a sudden heart attack during Monday’s game at Cincinnati. He was hurt in the first quarter after arguing with Bengals receiver Tee Higgins. Higgins’ shoulder hit Hamlin’s chest on the play, but it’s hard to say if it led to the Bills player’s heart attack
Shortly thereafter, as worried teammates gathered and an ambulance arrived, Buck told the ESPN audience that the players would have five minutes to warm up before resuming play.
‘The two head coaches you see come together,’ Buck said, referring to Cincinnati’s Zac Taylor and Buffalo’s Sean McDermott. ‘And they’ll have five minutes to warm up.’
Buck would later tell sideline reporter Lisa Salters: ‘Lisa, like we said, they were given five minutes to quote unquote “get ready” to get back into the game. That’s the word we’re getting from the league and the word we’re getting from down on the field, but nothing is moving.’
Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow was seen warming up around this time.
Head coach Sean McDermott of the Buffalo Bills and head coach Zac Taylor of the Cincinnati Bengals speak during the suspension of their game following the injury to Damar Hamlin #3 of the Buffalo Bills at Paycor Stadium
Bengals coach Zac Taylor was credited with getting his team off the field Monday night
Despite Buck’s claim, Vincent insists the NFL has never issued any such directive.
‘Honestly, there’s no time for the players to warm up,’ Vincent told reporters on Monday. ‘Honestly, that’s the only thing we’ve ever asked [referee] Shawn [Hochuli] talk to both head coaches to make sure they have the right amount of time in the locker room to discuss what they think is best.
‘So I’m not sure where that came from. Five-minute warm up never crossed my mind, personally. And I’m the one who’s talking to the Commissioner. We didn’t, to be honest, it didn’t occur to us to talk about warming up to continue playing. that’s ridiculous. That’s insensitive. And that’s not a place we should go.’
Regardless of the NFL’s directives at this point, it appears that Taylor and McDermott made the decision to send their teams back to the locker room after the Bengals coach approached his Bills counterpart to discuss the situation.
‘Such a classy move by Taylor,’ tweeted Kentucky news anchor Paxton Boyd.
Hamlin’s family specifically thanked Taylor in a statement Tuesday.
‘We want to thank Coach Taylor and the Bengals for everything they have done.’
Neither Taylor, McDermott nor the players involved have spoken to the media since Hamlin’s heart attack.
Hamlin’s family specifically thanked Taylor in a statement Tuesday
