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Retired tight end Benjamin Watson made a Biblical reference during an interview with CNN’s Anderson Cooper on Thursday regarding the collapse and subsequent recovery of Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin this week, noting that the incident is a stark reminder of just how precious life is and how fast things can change.
In addition, Watson, who won a Super Bowl in his rookie year in 2004 with the New England Patriots and who regularly talks about his Christian faith, also told Cooper “God provides” answers through faith.
Hamlin collapsed on the field roughly midway through the first quarter during the Bills’ “Monday Night Football” game against the AFC rival Cincinnati Bengals after he made a tackle on a wide receiver. As fans and teammates looked on in horror, Hamlin’s heart stopped, and he was administered CPR for several minutes on the field as he was attended to by team medical personnel and paramedics before being transported to an area hospital, where he remains in critical but stable condition in the ICU.
On Thursday, however, the Bills franchise announced that the 24-year-old had “shown remarkable improvement over the past 24 hours.”
Watson, who also played football for a number of seasons with the New Orleans Saints, said the collapse of Hamlin — an elite athlete in his prime — is a somber reminder of how precious life really is. He added that he hoped the tragedy would serve as a reminder for all to think about what could happen after they leave this earth.
“On the flip side, with such a tragic event, there is a tremendous opportunity,” Watson told the CNN host.
“Part of my prayers right now, Anderson, is for the players in both of those locker rooms, for the chaplains who I know very well — who are right now counseling and comforting players who saw a brother in a near-death experience and who is still fighting for his life — because the questions about what happens after this life, where will you spend eternity … are coming up for all of us, not just for the football players,” he said.
“But thank God that he provides an answer through his son, Jesus Christ,” he added.
In a tweet containing a clip of the interview, Watson wrote: “Life can change in the blink of an eye. Damar’s injury has made us all wrestle with this truth. It has served as a reminder of own mortality. While we pray for him as he fights for his life we must ask ourselves where will we spend eternity? Thanks for this convo @andersoncooper.”
Life can change in the blink of an eye. Damar’s injury has made us all wrestle with this truth. It has served as a reminder of own mortality. While we pray for him as he fights for his life we must ask ourselves where will we spend eternity? Thanks for this convo @andersoncooper pic.twitter.com/WrYQWNZ4hR
— Benjamin Watson (@BenjaminSWatson) January 5, 2023
“Damar Hamlin suffered a cardiac arrest following a hit in our game versus the Bengals,” the team said in a statement following the incident. “His heartbeat was restored on the field and he was transferred to the UC Medical Center for further testing and treatment. He is currently sedated and listed in critical condition.”
Things have greatly improved for Hamlin since.
“Per the physicians at UCMC, Damar’s breathing tube was removed overnight. He continues to progress remarkably in his recovery,” a Bills statement noted on Twitter Thursday. “His neurologic function remains intact, and he has been able to talk to his family and care team.”
In addition, the team noted that Hamlin joined with players during a meeting on Friday via FaceTime and shared three words: “Love you boys.”
Head coach Sean McDermott spoke with the media on Friday, saying that his player appeared to be in good spirits when he spoke to the team via video.
“It was not a long interaction as you can imagine with his situation, but he made hand signals, hand gestures – the thing that makes me laugh is he did this to the guys right away, he flexed on them I guess,” McDermott said with a smile.
Damar Hamlin FaceTimed into our team meeting today to talk to players and coaches.
What he said to the team: “Love you boys.” ❤️ pic.twitter.com/8dorrWNaxt
— Buffalo Bills (@BuffaloBills) January 6, 2023
“He’s just got some staple things that they know him for and that he does. And he made the heart symbol probably more than anything, and then he gave them a thumbs up. And somewhere in the midst of that, and it was a little bit hard to hear, but he said, ‘I love you boys,’ and of course, I think that got the guys,” McDermott added.
