Kyle Shanahan, 49ers send their condolences to Bills’ safety Damar Hamlin

Less than 48 hours since the NFL world was abruptly stopped Monday night, the league is showing their support to Buffalo Bills’ safety Damar Hamlin.

San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan started off his usual Wednesday presser with a message to the Hamlin family, offering the team’s condolences to the young man, wishing a speedy recovery and prayers all around.

“When I first saw it, the first shoes I put myself in were his parents’ shoes,” Shanahan said about the play. “I mean, that’s all I could think of like, holy cow, I really hope his parents aren’t watching this like I am. I hope they’re there. That was my biggest concern.”

Hamlin suffered a cardiac arrest during Monday Night Football’s clash between the Bills and Cincinnati Bengals. After a seemingly routine tackle on Bengals’ wide receiver Tee Higgins, Hamlin got back to his feet before collapsing immediately to the ground. Signaling for paramedics right away, emergency teams needed to perform CPR and AED machines to restore Hamlin’s heartbeat, spending about ten minutes before loading him onto an ambulance.

The response team then took the player to the University 0f Cincinnati Hospital, where Damar Hamlin has resided since.

Since then there have been very few updates on his status, with family members relaying that his breathing has improved, but that he is still in critical condition in the intensive care unit.

“I’m just glad he’s still alive and able to fight,” Hamlin’s uncle, Dorrian Glenn told CNN. “I just want to show my gratitude to the medical staff that were on hand. If it were not for them, my nephew probably wouldn’t even be here.” (hyperlink Glenn told CNN)

While his family is still taking it day by day, his health is “trending upwards in a positive way,” according to his uncle.

For Damar ❤️ pic.twitter.com/qj3I93Eapv

— Levi's® Stadium (@LevisStadium) January 3, 2023

In a show of support, all 32 NFL teams have changed their social media profile pictures to show his #3 jersey with the text “Pray for Damar.” Most teams, including the 49ers, have also changed their stadium screens to share the message as well.

The #49ers are honoring Damar Hamlin with banners up at Levi’s Stadium 🙏🏼

🎥: @kympossible3 pic.twitter.com/tdjX0UGOHG

— OurSF49ers (@OurSf49ers) January 3, 2023

Shanahan did not address the situation with the team but spoke with members individually as the events unfolded. The team’s clinicians were also made available Tuesday, with players’ wives utilizing the help the most, Shanahan added.

While the events are incredibly tragic, the 49ers will need to get through this week the best they can, hoping to return to business Sunday afternoon against the Arizona Cardinals.

“I mean, you got to do your job. You know, I think everyone does,” Shanahan stated. “It’s real rough, it’s real sad. But you got to work too, you know. So then that’s what guys do and you try to be there for each other…You try to be there for everyone.”

Hamlin, 24, has a GoFundMe page supporting his community’s toy drive back in Pittsburgh. With an initial goal of $2,500, the page surpassed $6.5 million Wednesday afternoon, showing the power of camaraderie across the NFL landscape.

Certainly a reminder that good people exist.
A lot of them.

Damar Hamiln's Go Fund Me is now at $6.5 million. https://t.co/beAIRkTwLi https://t.co/TfsaGzSQpQ

— Lindsey Eaton (@LindseyEatoNews) January 4, 2023

Click here to watch Kyle Shanahan’s full Wednesday presser

Follow @AmilianoFragoso

Newsletter