Before the Buffalo Bills took the field for their regular-season finale, the stadium public address announcer called out some important names. The Bills recognized 13 individuals from their medical and athletic training staff on the field at Highmark Stadium, and one more who remained in Cincinnati. When Bills safety Damar Hamlin collapsed on the field on Jan. 2, Bills staff members jumped into action, their quick and expert care saving Hamlin’s life. Many others also played a role, including the Cincinnati Bengals medical staff and independent medical personnel who were at Paycor Stadium. What medical and athletic training staffs do for their teams is often behind the scenes. A critical part of their jobs is preparing for all scenarios, in hopes that those emergencies never come. The response to Hamlin was possible because of thorough planning, incredible expertise from years of training, and decisive teamwork when every second counted. It’s certainly not an exaggeration to say that the skilled and the immediate response by all of these talented caregivers prevented a very tragic outcome at that moment,” said Dr. Allen Sills, the NFL'[s chief medical officer. “And certainly, we never want to see events like this occur, but if there were to be a medical emergency, there was absolutely the right team, with the right equipment and the right training on site able to provide care.”

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