Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin collapsed during his game Monday night against the Bengals and was taken to a Cincinnati hospital where the NFL, who later postponed the match, said he was in "critical condition." The medical emergency sparked an immediate outpouring of well-wishes from fans, commentators and other players, and brought attention back to the particularly dangerous nature of America's most popular sport. Part-way through the first quarter of Monday night's matchup, Hamlin took a hard hit as he tackled the Bengals' Tee Higgins.

Players from both NFL teams, clearly shaken by what they had witnessed, gathered around Hamlin during the treatment, which ESPN said included CPR, with many of them kneeling to pray and some openly weeping. Hamlin "was then transported to a local hospital where he is in critical condition," the NFL said in a statement.

The crowd in Cincinnati remained silent and television coverage broke away from the scene on the field. ESPN commentator Joe Buck said that medical staff had been "pounding" on Hamlin's chest and it was quickly clear from the reaction of the players that the situation was grave.

After the ambulance had left the field, reports initially suggested the game was going to restart following a five-minute warm-up, prompting an outpouring of anger on social media. During ESPN's broadcast of the unfolding events, Booger McFarland, a former NFL player and analyst, also called for the league to abandon the game.

 Credit : Independent News Pakistan-INP