The Buffalo Bills and Cincinnati Bengals will not resume their scheduled Week 17 matchup this week. The news follows a terrifying incident involving second-year defensive back Damar Hamlin.
After the 24-year-old safety went into cardiac arrest on the field Monday, the league postponed the game as players focused on the health of their teammate. On Tuesday, the NFL unsurprisingly announced that the Bills-Bengals game will not be continued this week.
Bills-Bengals Game: Damar Hamlin Update
“The NFL continues to be in regular contact with the medical team caring for Damar Hamlin, and also the Bills and Bengals organizations and the NFL Players Association,” the NFL said in a statement. “After speaking with both teams and NFLPA leadership, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell informed the clubs today that the Bills-Bengals game will not be resumed this week.”
“The NFL has made no decision regarding the possible resumption of the game at a later date. The league has not made any changes to the Week 18 regular season schedule. We will continue to provide additional information as it becomes available,” the statement reads.
After the statement, FanDuel Sportsbook voided all bets taken on the Bills-Bengals game, but DraftKings, BetMGM and Caesars have yet to take action. All bets are expected to be voided in the near future. If the game is not made up, the NFL could opt to count the game as a tie, a forfeit, or a no-contest.
“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,” Hamlin’s family said in a statement released Tuesday morning.
“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. Please keep Damar in your prayers. We will release updates as soon as we have them.”
As Hamlin continues to undergo treatment, fans have raised millions of dollars for his charity toy drive, which he launched before the Buffalo Bills drafted him in 2021. The GoFundMe had collected over $4.5 million as of Tuesday afternoon. The original crowdfunding goal was $2,500.
Donate to Demar Hamlin’s fundraiser by clicking here.
