NFL’s Troy Vincent says NFL did NOT want to resume play after Damar Hamlin’s cardiac arrest

NFL executive Troy Vincent is doubling down on his claim that the league had no intention of resuming play on Monday in Cincinnati after Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin suffered a cardiac arrest during a game against the Bengals.

At the time, ESPN play-by-play announcer repeatedly told television viewers that the league planned to resume play after a five-minute warmup period. Furthermore, San Francisco Chronicle reporter Mike Silver has reported that the NFL’s ‘first impulse’ was to try to resume play until players and coaches refused and walked off the field.

‘I just want to be clear,’ Vincent, the NFL’s Executive Vice President of Football Operations and a former league player, said Wednesday during a conference call with reporters. ‘Just that suggestion alone was inappropriate, it was insensitive and, frankly, it lacked both empathy and compassion for Damar’s situation, who is still and was fighting for his life this day. It lacked complete, and it was just so insensitive to think that we were even thinking about returning to play.

NFL executive Troy Vincent is doubling down on his claim that the league had no intention of resuming play on Monday in Cincinnati after Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin suffered a cardiac arrest during a game against the Bengals. At the time, ESPN play-by-play announcer repeatedly told television viewers that the league planned to resume play after a five-minute warmup period. Furthermore, San Francisco Chronicle reporter Mike Silver has reported that the NFL’s ‘first impulse’ was to try to resume play until players and coaches refused and walked off the field

‘The only thing that mattered to myself, the team here, the folks in the stadium and the coaches was the health and wellness of Damar and getting those coaches back to the locker room so they could look those players in their eyes and see who they are. They were hurting, there was a lot of pain. And talking to the commissioner [Roger Goodell] and communicating with everyone, it was just important … we just couldn’t play.’

Buck, too, has doubled down on his version of events in an interview with the New York Post, saying that ESPN officiating expert John Parry was in direct contact with the league.

”They said they’re going to give five minutes of a warm-up to these players to get ready,’ Buck told the Post after Vincent initially denied that claim earlier in the week.

ESPN has also defended Buck’s reporting in a statement.

‘There was constant communication in real time between ESPN and league and game officials,’ the network said. ‘As a result of that, we reported what we were told in the moment and immediately updated fans as new information was learned. This was an unprecedented, rapidly evolving circumstance. All night long, we refrained from speculation.’

The Washington Post has reported one potential explanation, writing that Parry usually speaks with the league officiating department, but ‘this decision had escalated beyond those with whom Parry typically communicates.’

Hamlin remains sedated at University of Cincinnati Medical Center’s intensive care unit after collapsing at Paycor Stadium during Monday’s Bills-Bengals game.

His marketing representative, Jordon Rooney, told The Associated Press that his client is moving in a ‘positive direction.’

‘We all remain optimistic,’ Rooney said.