Miami Heat legend Dwyane Wade took to social media to applaud former NFL player and current analyst Ryan Clark for the way he spoke about the tragic circumstances that took place on Monday Night Football.
A highly anticipated matchup between the Cincinnati Bengals and Buffalo Bills turned into a nightmare when young safety Damar Hamlin collapsed on the field midway through the first quarter.
Hamlin was administered CPR on the field before he was taken to a nearby hospital in an ambulance. Hamlin remains hospitalized and currently is in critical condition, but there were very real fears during the telecast that he had passed away.
It put broadcasters in an incredible difficult position as they sought to navigate the situation. Clearly, Wade was impacted by how he saw Clark handle the tragic occurrence.
It’s not really a shock that Clark knew how to put the situation into perspective in real time on Monday night. After all, he is less than a decade removed from his own NFL career that lasted from the 2002 season through the 2014 season. During that time, he played for the New York Giants, Washington Commanders and Pittsburgh Steelers.
Clark had a life-threatening experience himself during his career. During a trip to the Denver Broncos’ high-altitude stadium in the 2007 NFL season, he suffered a splenic infarction due a hereditary sickle cell anemia. He had to have his his spleen and gall bladder removed.
On Monday, some analysts seemed hung up on the idea of missing out on the marquee matchup between the Bengals and Bills, but it’s clear that Clark immediately understood that the focus of the night had to change from football to Hamlin’s health and safety.
Since the tragic scene on Monday, an outpouring of love and support for Hamlin has taken place. Fans of the NFL have been following the story closely to find out the latest.
Hamlin is currently at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center. He has been put under medical sedation while the staff works to bring him back to health.