President Biden Visits Bills' Damar Hamlin Family, Cites 'Dangerous' NFL
President Joe Biden on Wednesday visited with the family of fallen Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin, checking in after the player suffered a cardiac arrest on the field during "Monday Night Football."
Biden said he spoke "at length" with Hamlin's parents while in Cincinnati, where Hamlin remains hospitalized and in serious condition.
After the visit, when speaking with reporters, Biden addressed the violent nature of the sport, citing recent efforts to make the sport safer while adding that it is simply "dangerous and you've got to just acknowledge it."
Said Biden: "You've got guys that are 6-foot-8, 340 pounds running a 4.8 40, hit somebody with that kind of force — now that's not what happened here. I don't know how you avoid it. I think working like hell on the helmets and the concussion protocols, that all makes a lot of sense. But it is dangerous and you've got to just acknowledge it."
The White House previously acknowledged Hamlin's condition on Tuesday, saying the President was aware of the "horrific" story, which unfolded on live TV on "Monday Night Football'' in the Bills at Bengals game after what seemed like a relatively innocuous tackle.
Hamlin rose, then fell to the ground, leading to medical personnel having to re-starting his heart on the field. After receiving CPR for nearly 10 minutes, Hamlin was loaded into an ambulance and rushed to the hospital.
Hamlin's condition has received attention from the sports world and beyond, as his GoFundMe account - originally intended as a toy drive for underserved children with a goal of $2,500 - has now raised over $6 million.
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