Ciara, Snoop Dogg, Kirk Franklin Offer Prayers For Bills Safety Damar Hamlin After Horrifying ‘MNF’ Injury
The sports world held its collective breath on Monday night (Jan. 2) after Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin fell to the field and was carted off in an ambulance during the team’s anticipated Monday Night Football match-up with the Cincinnati Bengals. A game that was hyped as potentially being the greatest MNF showdown of all time lasted less than 10 minutes before Hamlin collapsed on the field after suffering what the Bills said was cardiac arrest following a blow to the chest.
The game was suspended and then indefinitely postposed as the nation watched the anguished faces of players on both sides huddled in prayer while awaiting word on Hamlin’s condition; the 24-year-old who joined the Bills in 2021 as a sixth round draft pick was given CPR on the field and then taken to a local Cincinnati hospital, where he is listed in critical condition.
“Praying for Hamlin. Jesus please let everything be ok,” tweeted Ciara along with heart and prayer hands emoji; the singer is married to Denver Broncos QB Russell Wilson, who tweeted, “Wow. I am praying for you @HamlinIsland. Praying for health and safety.” The-Dream also weighed in, writing, “Sending Damar @HamlinIsland Our Thoughts & Prayers RN Let’s go #3!”
Gospel singer Kirk Franklin offered up his own prayer, writing, “Lord, please be with Damar Hamlin, his team, and his family… my heart hurts in this moment for him,” while Snoop Dogg posted an image of a pumped-up Hamlin along with fist bump and prayer hands emoji. In a testament to the seriousness of the incident and the unprecedented nature of such a grave injury resulting in the postponement of a pivotal game in the penultimate week of the season, the Cincinnati Enquirer reported that Bengals and Bills fans set their rivalry aside as they gathered for prayer vigils outside Hamlin’s hospital on Monday night.
Country singer Mickey Guyton also sent her well wishes, as did MC Hammer and distraught Bills QB Josh Allen, who wrote, “Please pray for our brother.” At press time the NFL had not announced when, or if, the game will be completed and there was no update on Hamlin’s treatment or condition.
See their tweets below.
Gil Kaufman
Billboard
