Tee Higgins said he is “in a good place right now” after hearing from Damar Hamlin’s mother on Thursday about her son’s improvement.
Higgins was involved in the hit that immediately preceded the cardiac arrest of the Buffalo Bills safety during Monday night’s game. Hamlin, according to doctors, has shown “remarkable improvement” in the last twenty-four hours.
Higgins’s first public comments since Hamlin collapsed and the game was suspended were, “Obviously it’s been hard, just because you know I had something to do with the play (and) whatnot,” he said. However, “everyone has made me feel entire again. I spoke with his mother and everything is well, he’s doing well, so I’m in a good position.”
Higgins reported that Hamlin’s mother informed him, “She is thinking of me and praying for me, as well as other similar things.”
“And suddenly she informs me that he is OK. And everything positive,” the third-year wide receiver added. It makes me feel better on the inside to know that he’s okay and improving.
Higgins stated that it took him a few seconds after the performance on Monday night to realize something was gravely wrong. Replays revealed that Hamlin stood up after tackling Higgins and then fell backwards a few seconds later.
Tee Higgins #85 of the Cincinnati Bengals carries the football while being pursued by Damar Hamlin #3 of the Buffalo Bills during the first quarter on January 2, 2023 at Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati, Ohio. Dylan Buell / Getty Images
Higgins stated, “Me being a football player, I’m thinking he just flopped, one of my guys bumped him,” “I just witnessed the drop. The second time I looked, I saw what had occurred, and I simply turned my head to avoid thinking about it. Therefore, I realized it was something bizarre and awful.”
CPR and defibrillation were used by medical workers to restart Hamlin’s heart. On the field, an ambulance arrived, and he was transferred to the University of Cincinnati Medical Center.
“You know, it was hard (to see),” replied Higgins. Obviously, (I) wasn’t in a position to play the remainder of the game, so I’m delighted we decided not to.
Dr. Timothy Pritts of UC Health, one of Hamlin’s physicians, stated on Thursday that Hamlin is “making significant improvement. As of this morning, he is slowly awakening.”
Pritts stated that it appears Hamlin’s “neurological function is intact,” as a result of the rapid response of the medical staff who attended to him on the field.
“The first question he jotted down as he began to rouse was, ‘Did we win?’ Not only are the lights on, but we also know he is at home,” Pritts stated.
“He continues to be critically ill and undergo care in the ICU,” Pritts said. “He still has to make tremendous development. This is a pivotal moment in his continuous care.”
While the Bengals prepared for their next game 430 miles away, the Bills held their first press conference since the terrible incident on Thursday.
The head coach, Sean McDermott, lauded team assistant trainer Denny Kellington for assisting Hamlin on the field.
McDermott remarked, “For an assistant to find himself at that position and needing to take the action that he did and step up and take charge like he did — and there were others on the field as well — is nothing short of amazing,” “And the fortitude it took to save Damar’s life, you speak of a true leader, a true hero. I simply appreciate his tenacity.”
At the conclusion of a 37-minute news conference, Bills quarterback Josh Allen remained seated and expressed his support for Higgins.
“I would like to reiterate that I have not reached out to Tee. I hope he found some solace today. I observed some content on Twitter. And nobody should be assaulting him in any way. I’m grateful that Damar’s family stepped up and stated this. Hopefully, he has found relief today. Since this is a football play. And I hope that he doesn’t hold that against himself because there was nothing else he could have done.”
Tyler Boyd, a Bengals receiver, claimed he realized something was wrong when he attempted to communicate with Hamlin after he collapsed.
Boyd and Hamlin are both Pittsburgh natives who participated in collegiate football at Pitt.
Boyd stated, “I was trying to speak to him, and he wasn’t giving me anything,” “And upon witnessing that, I was astonished.” However, it has not yet occurred to me that this is a football play. Once everyone arrived, though, the situation became somewhat serious. It moved me to the point where, dude, you can’t take anything for granted. That’s my brother no matter who we’re playing.”
Higgins stated that his return to practice on Wednesday and Thursday was an emotional release. On Sunday, the Bengals host the Baltimore Ravens for the final game of the regular season.
“It’s hard to forget about, but at the end of the day we are professional football players,” he remarked. “We do have a job to do, and you just have to shift your focus and focus on the Ravens.”
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