NFL star Damar Hamlin in critical condition

Damar Hamlin remains in a critical condition in hospital but his vitals are 'back to normal' after he suffered a cardiac arrest during the Buffalo Bills' game in Cincinnati last night.This comes after 24-year-old Buffalo Bills Safety Damar Hamlin suffered a cardiac arrest and collapsed on the field during the first quarter of Monday night’s game between the Bills and Cincinnati Bengals. He is currently in critical condition, his team says.

"As players, injuries are always our deepest fear. ... But often, you know, we tend to try to remove any of those thoughts the moment we hit the field," he said, adding that it's common to see injuries like ligament tears, muscle strains, broken bones and concussions among others. "We've become very numb to it, unfortunately."

However, Hamlin's collapse was unprecedented, he said. "What we saw last night was something that we've never have seen before. In my 11 years in the NFL, I never experienced anything like that, and that brings the reality [of] the sport to life."

He wished Hamlin, his family and his teammates well and added that he thinks the NFL handled the incident well.

"I think they did a very good job. They put the concern of their players first," McLeod Jr. said. "[The teams] were not in the state of mind to be able to finish that game."

In a chilling scene, Hamlin, 24, was administered CPR on the field while surrounded by teammates, some of them in tears, as they shielded him from public view.

Damar Hamlin, a 24-year-old safety in his second season with the Buffalo Bills, was in critical condition in a hospital after suffering cardiac arrest during a Monday night game against the Cincinnati Bengals, the Bills said.

Team officials said in a statement early Tuesday that Hamlin’s heart stopped after he was hit during a play in the first quarter. His heartbeat was restored by medical personnel on the field before Hamlin was taken to the University of Cincinnati Medical Center, the Bills said, adding that Hamlin was undergoing “further testing and treatment” and had been sedated.

About nine minutes into the game on Monday night, Hamlin tackled Bengals receiver Tee Higgins after a 13-yard catch. Higgins rammed into Hamlin at full speed, appearing to hit him in the head and chest area. Hamlin quickly stood up, took two steps and collapsed backward, and his body went limp.

Medical personnel administered CPR and attended to him for 10 minutes as players from both teams were visibly upset, some shedding tears on the sideline while others circled together and knelt in prayer. One medical professional appeared to administer an IV. Hamlin was later placed on a stretcher and transported to the hospital.