Buffalo Bills running back Damien Harris had to be taken off the field in an ambulance after a hard hit that injured his neck Sunday night, a terrifying scene reminiscent of Damar Hamlin’s collapse 10 months ago.
Late in the second quarter of the “Sunday Night Football” game in Orchard Park, Harris ran up the middle on a third-and-inches play where he was brought down by New York Giants linebacker Bobby Okereke.
In the aftermath of the tackle, a prone Harris was conscious —moving his arms and head — but could not get up, as concerned teammates and opponents gathered around him.
A hush fell over Highmark Stadium as medical personnel rushed on to the field, secured the injured player to a stretcher and loaded him into an ambulance. Play was re-started after the five-minute delay to attend to Harris.
The Bills then announced Harris had injured his neck and was out for the rest of the game.
Relieved Bills coach Sean McDermott said after the game that Harris was “heading in a good direction” and had regained “full movement” of his extremities
“It’s my understanding he has full movement,” McDermott told reporters after his team’s dramatic, 14-9, victory over the New York Giants. “Fortunate that he is seemingly heading in a good direction, with the reports we are getting. So I am very thankful to God for that.”
The 26–year-old backup running back is in his fifth season of professional football after playing at Alabama. This is his first season in Buffalo after spending the previous four campaigns with the New England Patriots.
His best season was in 2021 when he rushed for 929 yards and scored 15 touchdowns.
The ambulance that took Harris off the field on Sunday is decorated with “3” on each of its back doors, in honor of Hamlin, his teammate who nearly died on the field during a Jan. 3 game in Cincinnati last season.
Hamlin went into cardiac arrest after a routine tackle early in that game. Medical personnel performed CPR and his heartbeat was restored before he was rushed to the hospital and the game called off.
He’s since rejoined the team, but has played sparingly so far this season.
Source: | This article originally belongs to Nbcnews.com
