Injuries in sports happen, but the sight of the Damar Hamlin injury was truly scary. Hamlin, a Bills safety, got hospitalized after suffering Cardiac Arrest, after taking a hit to the chest by Bengals receiver Tee Higgins. The game was put on delay, as the league struggled to determine that the game would be postponed or canceled. Later in the week officials decided to cancel the game.

The game in which the Bills and Bengals were set to play, was a huge game due to the fact it was to determine who would most likely receive the one seed for the playoffs. Canceling the game all together showed that the NFL did care about the players but showed a significant problem in their scheduling and taking account for unforeseen circumstances such as the one that occurred Monday night.

Injuries seem to have an on set occurrence in the NFL. Considering the contact in the sport and the trauma it will leave behind. This isn’t the first time this season that an injury has happened and has left a player hospitalized. Sadly Hamlin isn’t the first player to have a cardiac arrest in a game.

Former Lions wide receiver Chuck Hughs, died on the field after his first catch in a game against the Bears on October 24, 1971.He would be pronounced dead at the hospital, and autopsy would reveal he suffered a heart attack on the field. This was back when players had significantly larger pads so it means that equipment isn’t the problem.

Equipment is an ever lasting development as they continue to evolve today’s protection and gear. Although players counter the protection, as some players actually prefer wearing smaller pads to play better in game. So it has to be equipment right?

Not exactly, as pads are getting smaller the technology continues to get better. Further enhancing the protection of the players.

If it’s not equipment then it has to be the rules set regarding injury. In the NFL, each team is required to report any injury obtained during a game, whether it is a minor injury or not. Also each game is supposed to have an ATC spotter, who watches for any possible serious injury at every NFL game. Rules on injuries in general though, are constantly changing.

Tua Tagovailoa, a quarterback for the Dolphins, suffered a concussion in a game against the Bills. Clearing concussion protocol he continued to play through the injury. Then in a game against the Bengals, Tagovailoa would be hospitalized after receiving a hit to the head.

The Tagovailoa injury stirred some controversy on how the NFL handles injury situations. The NFL would later respond with a new rule regarding concussion protocol. Stating that a player diagnosed with a concussion must be evaluated by a neutral physician, and will be prohibited from the game.

The NFL has always been on top of what gets approved as legal and illegal to help player safety. An example of this can be related to preventing concussions. Where now players are officially prohibited from using the crown of their helmets on a tackle.

Overall, the Hamlin injury was based on horrible luck. Higgins hit Hamlin at just the right time to cause Hamlins heart to stop beating. The trainers did a great job at recognizing the situation at hand and giving CPR at the right time.

The NFL also did a great job in the handling of the situation. Communicating with coaches to postpone and eventually cancel the game. The NFL really couldn’t do anything to make the situation any better for the damage done.