What if NFL line man Damar Hamlin had not experienced cardiac arrest?

On Monday Night Football's January 2nd playoff, Buffalo Bills Damar Hamlin collapsed following a collision with Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins in the 1st quarter. Damar briefly got up, adjusted his helmet, took two steps before falling backwards having experienced cardiac arrest. CPR was immediately performed on the field and his heart was restarted. As an ambulance drove out of the field amidst the hush of thousands of fans, both teams of NFL players dropped to their knees in a wide circle of prayer. Thursday, three days later the hospital who received Damar held a press conference. The doctors said when Damar woke up he wrote a note to physicians asking, "Did we win?". The doctors replied: "Yes Damar. You won. You won the game of life.". What if NFL line man Damar Hamlin had not experienced cardiac arrest?

That day could have turned out differently The encounter would have been chalked up as another routine tackle and the game would have proceeded. The Buffalo Bills or the Cincinnati Bengals would have won, clinching the AFC North title. The cheers of more than 65,000 fans would have been deafening. Press interviews would have been conducted on the field and outside the locker rooms.

But that's not what happened. Something so totally different captured the hearts and actions of thousands, if not millions of Americans. ABC Television said "The intersection of prayer and sports has been especially prominent in the aftermath of Damar Hamlin's frightening collapse during that NFL game. All 32 NFL teams have included 'Pray for Damar' on their Twitter avatars. ESPN's Dan Orlovsky, former NFL quarterback, prayed for the Buffalo Bill's safety on live TV. Countless fans and other concerned observers said on social media they were praying, and dozens linked arms outside his Cincinnati hospital." 

What does this intersection of prayer in sports suggest? "It's new in terms of the scale and the scope," said Paul Putz, assistant director of the Faith & Sports Institute at Baylor University. "It's not common to see someone on a national television network who opens in prayer or just issues a prayer during the broadcast." So, why pray? What difference does it make? Consider Psalm 145:18. "The Lord is near to all who call on Him, to all who call on Him in truth." Psalm 6:9 affirms that, "the Lord has heard my plea for help; the Lord accepts my prayer." These are life giving promises when taken seriously. 

When Damar fell, the ESPN commentators in their television studio were struck silent. But then one spoke up. "If we didn't believe that prayer works, we wouldn't ask this of you, God" Dan Orlovsky said in his prayer. "I believe in prayer. We believe in prayer. We lift up Damar Hamlin's name in Your name."

Afterward, Orlovsky told the AP in a text: "It was on my heart. The more we pray, the more Damar may come out of it." Bills coach Sean McDermott and general manager both thanked God in separate news conferences. NFL executive Troy Vincent, a five-time Pro Bowl cornerback during his 15-year career, praised God in an emotional news conference. "My greatest fear flashed in front of me in the moment, but for the goodness and grace of God, Damar is still here," Vincent told the AP. (Copyright 2023 KABC Television, LLC)

This matter of prayer in the public domain really transcends all means for human control. I am reminded of the Oregon high school football coach who was fired in 2015 for privately giving thanks to God on his knee, in the field after the game. Coach Joseph Kennedy lost his job. In a 6-3 decision the US Supreme Court ruled that a high school football coach has the First Amendment right to pray on the field after games. As of  March 13, 2023, Kennedy  has been reinstated as Assistant  Football Coach from the Bremerton High School in Washington.

Orlovsky commented from the ESPN television studio. "I heard the Buffalo Bill's organization say that we believe in prayer and maybe this is not the right thing to do, but it's just on my heart to pray for Damar right now. I'm going to do it out loud. I am going to close my eyes. I am going to bow my head and I'm just going to pray for him." He did pray, ... and the network didn't cut to an advertisement!

When you don't know what to do, prayer is your best option.

Be Well.