Bengals vs Bills: sports is more than a mascot

If you know me you probably know that I am a big Bengals fan. I'm from the area so that is my hometown team along with the Reds, FC Cincinnati, and the University of Kentucky. Just over a week ago on November 5 the Bengals played the Bills and there was a lot of talk about it. Earlier this year, these two played each other and time stopped. But it was also a time when people realized that sports is more than a game, it's a community and in certain circumstances, a mascot doesn't matter, the people do.

When the Bills played the Bengals at their hometown stadium back in January of this year it was chaotic and heartbreaking, to say the least. After Damar Hamlin didn't get back up after a hit, I realized it would be one of those moments that I will forever remember where I was. At that moment I was in Mexico, having dinner at a sports bar and there were an endless number of people crowding the small restaurant to watch the big game. This game was more than important, it was one of the playoff games for the AFC Championship.

Photo: Timothy T Ludwig/Getty Images via Fox News

One second changed the entire game. One small, minuscule second turned into a life-changing moment for one Damar Hamlin. He took a hit, a hard one, but many players do that and everyone thought maybe he needed a minute. But then he didn't get up. Emergency medical staff rushed immediately to him and started treating him for what was wrong. Unfortunately that small second in time led to Hamlin experiencing cardiac arrest on the field. More specifically, commotio cordis. This is something that needs everything to go exactly wrong for it to occur. This is a rare occurrence and unfortunately, it happened to a young 24, now 25, year-old safety playing for the Buffalo Bills.

After the fans and viewers realized that this was much more serious than just a rough hit, it turned into a traumatic and beautiful moment. The teams came together and so did the fans, which is also a rare occurrence, to support and have hope that the Bills player will live. Even internationally, where I was in Mexico, the Bills and Bengals fans were coming together. The team mascots disappeared from the room and what was left were sports fans who wanted a young healthy man to just be okay.

Kirk Irwin/Getty Images via CNBC

Thankfully, the University of Cincinnati is a level one trauma unit, which is where Hamlin was transferred after 19 minutes of CPR and an AED, although it felt like years. Everyone forgot about rivalry, winning, losing, and the game in general. Fans from both the Bengals and the Bills Mafia gathered around the hospital that Hamlin was transferred to with candles and an endless amount of support. Everyone was a Damar Hamlin fan at that point and the phrase "Pray for Damar" was everywhere.

What was being talked about, but didn't matter then, was the postponing of the game. During the time that Hamlin was being treated and transferred, the referees, the NFL, and coaches were talking about what to do with the game. Although to many fans it didn't matter, it was still an important game that played a part in the AFC championship. After an hour of talking and I'm sure some arguing, the NFL decided to suspend the game indefinitely and it was later completely canceled.

Photo: Jeff Dean/AP Photo via al.com

Luckily after 4 months, Hamlin was able to rejoin the team for their workouts and eventually practices. The recovery after cardiac arrest is a long and hard road. But, on October 1, 2023, he played in his first regular season game since his big hit.

So take this and remind yourself that: yes it is fun to be a ride-or-die fan and be competitive when it comes to sports (which is something I do), but it is also about a community that in the end will always come together in times of need. It's something special that a lot of people forget about.

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