Football

Cincinnati Bengals head coach Zac Taylor says football was the last thing on Sean McDermott's mind after Damar Hamlin's medical emergency ... revealing the Buffalo Bills head coach told him, "I need to be at the hospital."

Taylor opened up to reporters for the first time since "Monday Night Football" on Wednesday ... breaking down what exactly happened after Hamlin left the field in an ambulance.

The fourth-year coach said he always knew McDermott to be nothing but the utmost professional ... and proved it as he handled the serious situation, and whether the game would continue.

"I won't disclose any of the private conversations Sean and I had except for this," Taylor said minutes ago. "When I got there, the first thing he said was, 'I need to be at the hospital with Damar. I shouldn't be coaching this game.'"

"That to me provides all the clarity because there was no ... unprecedented is the word that gets thrown around a lot about this situation because that's what it is," Taylor added. "But in that moment, he really showed who he was. That all his focus was just on Damar and being there for him, being there for his family at the hospital. And at that point, I think everything trended in the direction it needed to trend and the right decisions were made there."

The game -- which had playoff implications on the line -- was ultimately suspended ... and the NFL says it will not be made up this week.

It's still unclear if it will be rescheduled ... or scrapped altogether.

President Joe Biden says he spoke "at length" with the mom and dad of Damar Hamlin ... after their son went into cardiac arrest on the field during Monday Night Football.

POTUS briefly spoke to the media in Kentucky before hopping aboard Air Force One ... when he revealed he had a conversation with the Hamlin fam.

46 was also asked whether football was just too dangerous ... in the wake of the terrifying medical emergency.

“Look, the idea that you're gonna have, look you've got guys that are 6'8", 340 pounds running a 4.8 40 ... If you hit somebody with that kinda ... now that's not what happened here ... but I just think it’s, I don't know how you avoid it,” Biden said.

Biden's comments come a day after White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters ... “We hope his condition and his health improves quickly, and like the rest of the nation our thoughts and prayers are with him, his family and his teammates.”

Of course, everyone from LeBron James to Tom Brady have sent well wishes to the 24-year-old second-year pro ... in addition to millions of fans across the world.

In the wake of the incident, hundreds of thousands of people even dipped into their own wallets, donating an astounding $6 million to Damar's charity toy drive.

Hamlin is still fighting for his life in a Cincy hospital, though the team provided a positive update on Wednesday.

"Damar remains in the ICU in critical condition with signs of improvement noted yesterday and overnight."

"He is expected to remain under intensive care as his health care team continues to monitor and treat him."

Kyler Murray was all smiles after having successful surgery on his ACL ... posting a photo from his hospital bed and assuring fans he'll be back!

The Arizona Cardinals quarterback shared the snap via social media on Wednesday -- three weeks after he suffered a non-contact knee injury during Monday Night Football against the Patriots.

On Dec. 13, the tough news was confirmed -- the 2-time Pro Bowler's season was over after an MRI confirmed he tore his ACL.

Despite the way the season ended, Murray was in good spirits on Wednesday ... saying his surgery went according to plan..

"Thank you for all the love and prayers," the 25-year-old captioned his post. "I appreciate the support and positivity more than I can express, I’ll be back. 🥋"

Cardinals coach Kliff Kingsbury co-signed Murray's cheerfulness by telling the media his signal caller is "excited" to start rehab and return to the team.

"I think it can be kind of a reset for him," the third-year coach said on Wednesday.

"We know we had our struggles this year offensively and we feel like we can play at a much higher level. And I think he understands that he can build himself back better and attack this thing."

The 4-12 Cardinals and Murray -- who signed a 5-year contract worth over $230 million -- were eliminated from the playoffs in Week 15 ... but still have one more game against the 49ers.

Damar Hamlin wasn’t only brought back to life on the field during Monday Night Football, but also as he arrived at the hospital ... this according to his uncle, who says the Bills safety's heart stopped for a second time.

Thankfully, medical personnel was again able to restart his heart.

Hamlin’s uncle, Dorrian Glenn, spoke to CNN outside the Cincinnati hospital on Tuesday ... where he provided an update on his 24-year-old nephew.

"He's still sedated right now," Glenn said. "They just want him to have a better chance of recovering better. So, they felt if he was sedated, his body can recover a lot faster than if he was awoke and possibly cause other complications."

Glenn said Hamlin is using 50% of a ventilator now ... a big improvement from earlier in his hospitalization.

Hamlin's uncle added the former Pittsburgh Panther suffered lung damage ... but remained optimistic he would be able to breathe on his own.

Glenn also talked about the sheer terror the family felt as they watched their loved one collapse before CPR was performed for about 10 minutes on the field in Cincy.

"We were all in tears," Glenn added. "I'm not a crier, but I've never cried so hard in my life. Just to know, like, my nephew basically died on the field and they brought him back to life, that's just heartbreaking. To see all those grown men crying and all the emotion, it really was a gut punch, man."

"I would have been crying no matter who it was, but for it to be my nephew, it just had that much more impact on me, man," he said. "I'm just glad he's still alive and able to fight and try and get better and recover."

Dorrian also stated doctors have positioned Damar on his stomach in an effort to relieve pressure on his lungs.

"I just want to show my gratitude for the medical staff that were on hand," Glenn added, "because if not for them, my nephew probably wouldn't even be here."

Cowboys star Micah Parsons laid into former NFL player-turned-commentator Bart Scott ... who blamed Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins for causing Bills safety Damar Hamlin's cardiac arrest during "Monday Night Football."

"Yoo are we serious?!!?," Parsons tweeted. "Why do we let some people speak on tv?! This was a  freak incident but putting fault on another player is wild! They should make some of these guys go over lines or something or not even give them a seat at the table!"

Parsons wasn't done, firing off another tweet in response to Scott ... writing, "Like does not even consider how Tee Huggins feels before airing some bull shut like that! That traumatic event he just went through! I swear some of these tv guys have too much egos on these stages we give them!"

ICYMI, during an appearance on ESPN's First Take, Scott seemed to insinuate Tuesday Higgins was in part responsible for Hamlin going into cardiac arrest on the field.

“Right before the tackle, he lowers his helmet, and he kind of throws his body into his chest,” Scott said on FT. “He’s standing up because he’s thinking he got to chase Tee Higgins at an angle to make a tackle, so he didn’t expect Tee Higgins to launch his body back into him."

He continued ... “It’s one of those things, a lot of times you see it as a linebacker … a running back comes through the hole, and he knows the contact is coming, so he lowers his helmet, and you can’t get underneath him so he’s able to get into you and your chest is exposed."

"They have taken that out of the game, but they don’t really regulate it as much as possible. I expect the league will be a lot more vigilant when it comes to that and using that penalty.”

As you know by now, Hamlin was carted off the field Monday night after his heart stopped on the field, and remains hospitalized at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center, where the 24-year-old appears to be making signs of progress, according to the Bills.

Scott responded to Micah directly on Twitter Wednesday, saying, "It’s wasn’t concise in my explanation but this was from the third segment. The first segment I said exactly what u said, it was a freak incident. And expressed my concern for Higgins and was happy his mom was there."

The love for Damar Hamlin is everywhere -- even Niagara Falls, which was illuminated in blue lights to show support for the Buffalo Bills player amid his recovery.

The landmark -- which is 19 miles from Buffalo and spans the border between Ontario, Canada and New York state -- displayed the tribute for 15 minutes on Tuesday night.

"Our collective thoughts are with him, his family, his team and the City of Buffalo," Niagara Falls' Twitter account shared.

The blue light was featured at the American Falls and Canadian Horseshoe Falls -- two of the three waterfalls at the iconic tourist spot.

As we previously reported, the 24-year-old safety went into cardiac arrest after tackling Tee Higgins during the Bills' "Monday Night Football" game against the Cincinnati Bengals.

Hamlin -- who was unconscious -- received CPR on the field and was taken to the University of Cincinnati Medical Center in "critical condition."

As of Wednesday, he remains in the intensive care unit.

Since the scary incident, fans and celebs from all over have shown support by penning sweet messages and donating to Hamlin's Chasing M's toy drive ... which surpassed its initial goal of $2,500.

The GoFundMe page currently has more than $6 million in donations ... with huge contributions from Tom Brady, Robert Kraft and the Patriots, Russell Wilson and Ciara and Matthew Stafford.

Shannon Sharpe made his return to the "Undisputed" set after missing Tuesday's episode over co-host Skip Bayless' controversial tweet about Damar Hamlin's medical emergency ... and it only took a whopping 40 seconds before an argument broke out.

Shannon kickstarted Wednesday's show by addressing Hamlin's situation in his opening monologue ... saying, "Watching that game on Monday night, what happened to Damar Hamlin struck me a little different."

Sharpe explained he's witnessed his NFL brothers suffer serious injuries throughout his career ... but added that seeing someone have to be revived on the field was a completely different experience.

Shannon then addressed Bayless' tweet head-on ... which, according to Skip, wasn't supposed to happen.

"Skip tweeted something and although I disagree with the tweet -- and hopefully, Skip will take it down."

Bayless immediately interrupted his co-host ... saying, "Time out -- I'm not going to take it down because I stand by what I tweeted."

Sharpe was clearly pissed with Skip interjecting ... replying, "I cannot even get through a monologue without you interrupting."

The Hall of Famer then explained his reason for missing Tuesday's show ... saying the discussion should be about Hamlin, not Skip's tweet.

"I didn't want yesterday to get into a situation where Damar Hamlin was the issue. We should have been talking about him, and not get into your tweet. That's what I was gonna do. But you can't even let me finish my opening monologue without you interrupting."

Skip says he was under the impression his tweet was not going to be discussed on the show ... claiming producers did not have an issue with what he said.

People are looking to profit off Damar Hamlin's tragic injury by creating fraudulent GoFundMe campaigns, advertised as helping the athlete who's currently fighting for his life ... but we're told the online company's already cracking down on anyone pretending to help the Bills player.

A spokesperson for GoFundMe tells TMZ ... there's only 1 verified fundraiser on the platform confirmed by Damar's family -- The Chasing M's Foundation Community Toy Drive, which has surpassed $4.7M since Damar's incident, as we reported.

We're told anything not authorized by the family is already being taken down in real-time.

For those unaware, several campaigns went live since Damar's cardiac arrest Monday night ... some saying the funds will benefit him directly while in the hospital, and others are exact replicas of his toy drive fundraiser.

It looks like the unauthorized campaigns didn't pick up a ton of steam ... one campaign was even created with the sole purpose of warning others about Damar-related scams.

It's worth noting that not all of these fundraisers appear to be malicious -- it seems some just want to help but didn't go through the proper channels to get it done properly.

A GFM spokesperson tells us the company's top priority is keeping people safe and to "protect the generosity of our donors" ... adding that it isn't uncommon for others to jump on the platform and try to help out. That being said, GoFundMe will continue to monitor the situation closely.

Shawne Merriman was one of the most violent defensive players of his generation, but was admittedly shaken up after watching Damar Hamlin's heart stop on the field ... an incident he thinks will have a major impact on players across the league.

The former 12th overall in the 2005 NFL Draft joined Babcock and Mojo on the "TMZ Sports" TV show (airs weekdays on FS1) ... where we asked Merriman how the traumatizing incident will affect the Bills players as they attempt to make a run in the playoffs.

"It's going to be playing in the minds of a lot of them. It was a wake-up call for a lot of people on just the possibilities of how violent this game could be," Shawne said.

"I think football is the greatest sport in the world but we also understand that there's some heavy risk in that."

Shawne also said the incident could show fans that players are humans ... not superheroes or machines.

"I think also it brought a human side. A lot of these players really get looked at as superhuman. This is a human on the ground that could possibly be fighting for his life."

Shawne doesn't believe the incident will have any long-lasting impacts on the league, but it's not something players will forget, and it has Merriman feeling grateful that he left the game in one piece.

"It was the first thing on my mind when I woke up this morning and how fortunate I was to actually walk away from the game the way I did on the up and up."

Skip Bayless hosted Tuesday morning's episode of 'Undisputed' alone, without Shannon Sharpe, and it was no accident ... we're told the Hall of Famer was upset with the opinionated TV host's controversial tweet sent minutes after Damar Hamlin's heart stopped during MNF.

And, TMZ Sports is told the network -- which wants Sharpe back as soon as possible -- doesn't know if he will return to work on Wednesday.

The controversy started when Bayless tweeted ... "No doubt the NFL is considering postponing the rest of this game - but how? This late in the season, a game of this magnitude is crucial to the regular-season outcome ... which suddenly seems so irrelevant."

The backlash came fast and furiously ... with everyone from fans to current and former star athletes like Darrelle Revis, Dez Bryant, "Sauce" Gardner and others going in on Skip.

In the wake of criticism, and less than an hour after his original message, Bayless attempted to clarify his point, writing ... "Nothing is more important than that young man's health. That was the point of my last tweet. I'm sorry if that was misunderstood but his health is all that matters. Again, everything else is irrelevant. I prayed for him & will continue to."

But, clearly, it wasn't enough for his partner, Shannon ... 'cause when 'Undisputed' went live Tuesday morning, Sharpe was nowhere to be found.

Some speculated Shannon could've simply had the day off, but our sources tell us that's not the case -- this was a direct reaction to Bayless' tweet.

A few minutes into the show, Skip seemingly tried to clear the air without directly addressing the reason behind Shannon's absence, saying, "Obviously, my partner, Shannon Sharpe, is not here today. I look forward to seeing him tomorrow."

Bayless also started the show telling the audience he was going to (attempt to) approach the show as he would any other weekday ... though he wasn't sure if he'd be able to get through the emotional topic.

"I apologize for what we've set out to do if it offends anyone because we're going to try to do the show pretty much as we usually do the show but I'll admit upfront, I'm still shook up by what happened last night to Damar Hamlin."

Skip continued ... "In fact, I'm still wrecked. In fact, I'm not sure I'm capable of doing this show today but after barely sleeping on it, I decided to give it a try. Maybe I'll fail, maybe we will fail but we're going to try."

Mike Tomlin is devastated about Damar Hamlin after the Bills safety went into cardiac arrest on the field during Monday Night Football ... saying the situation is "a really personal thing for me."

The longtime Pittsburgh Steelers head coach opened his media availability on Tuesday by explaining how Hamlin's condition hits close to home ... telling reporters, "I've known that guy probably since he was about 12."

Hamlin was a standout at Central Catholic High School in Pittsburgh, receiving Class AAAA Defensive Player of the Year and All-State honors.

Tomlin says he was fortunate to have watched Hamlin develop into the player he is today.

"[I] got a lot of respect and love for him as a human being, his commitment to the pursuit of his goals and dreams of doing what it is he's doing right now, which is playing in the NFL," he added. "It's just an honor to get to know young people like that."

Tomlin reflected on the times he eventually coached against Hamlin -- when the Bills and Steelers played each other the last two seasons -- and says he always tells Damar how proud he is whenever they cross paths.

"I had the opportunity to express that to him whenever I see him," Tomlin said. "We play Buffalo each of the last two seasons, and he and I get to have a moment."

As we previously reported, Hamlin went into cardiac arrest after a collision with Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins ... and was transported to the hospital, where he remains in critical condition in the ICU.

Hamlin's medical emergency deeply impacted the sports world ... with NFL and NBA superstars like LeBron James, Tom Brady, and Drew Brees offering support for the 24-year-old.

"I got a lot of love for that young man," Tomlin added. "We lift him and that organization up in prayer. [I] reached out to Sean McDermott to lend whatever assistance I could, but I don't have a lot to add other than that."

The NFL just announced the Cincinnati Bengals and Buffalo Bills will not return to the field this week ... this after Damar Hamlin suffered cardiac arrest and collapsed on the field during Monday Night Football.

Roger Goodell made the announcement official just minutes ago ... saying he spoke with both teams and elected not to resume the matchup prior to Week 18 -- the final week of the NFL season.

The league says it has not decided what to do about the contest ... and Week 18 will continue as scheduled.

The league says it has been in regular contact with the medical team caring for Hamlin ... as well as the Bengals, Bills, and NFL Players Association.

As we previously reported, Hamlin collapsed after tackling Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins in the first quarter of Monday night's matchup ... and received emergency CPR for several minutes before being carted off the field and transferred to a local hospital.

The game was suspended ... and the league said Hamlin was in critical condition. The Bills later added he was stable, and his heartbeat was restored prior to leaving the field. He spent the night in the ICU, where he remains.

Horrifying moment during the Bills vs. Bengals game on "Monday Night Football" -- Buffalo safety Damar Hamlin collapsed at the end of a play ... and required CPR in the middle of the field.

The incident happened just minutes into the game's first quarter ... right after Hamlin tackled Tee Higgins to the ground.

The 24-year-old -- a sixth-round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft -- appeared to get up from the stop just fine ... but he seemed to lose consciousness as he got to his feet, and crumpled to the ground.

Medical personnel raced onto the field -- and according to the game's announcer, Joe Buck, officials performed CPR on him for several minutes.

He was eventually strapped to a backboard and loaded onto a stretcher. He was then taken off the field in an ambulance.

Players from both teams were visibly concerned for the defensive back -- Josh Allen buried his face in his hands, while Stefon Diggs had tears running down his face. Reporters on the scene said multiple other players were seen crying.

The league has temporarily suspended play in wake of the injury.

Story developing ...

The sports world is rallying around Bills' safety Damar Hamlin after he went into cardiac arrest on the field Monday night ... with superstars like LeBron James, Tom Brady, and Drew Brees offering words of support as the 24-year-old fights for his life.

LeBron took the podium after scoring 43 points in Charlotte against the Hornets ... and spoke passionately about Hamlin, sending prayers. Bron also talked about the NFL's correct decision to postpone the game.

Tom Brady tweeted Tuesday morning, "We’re praying for Damar and his family this morning in Tampa. Moments like this put into perspective what it means to play this game we love."

"Thankful for our communities in Cincinnati and Buffalo for the overwhelming level of care and support I know they’ll continue to provide."

Retired quarterback and future Hall of Famer Drew Brees also expressed his concern for the second-year player out of Pittsburgh ... writing, "Damar Hamlin represents every one of us and every teammate we've ever had."

"I've never met him, but I know him as a member of our brotherhood. My family and I pray for him and his family as he recovers. God be with him."

Donovan Mitchell had a historic night Monday -- scoring 71 points in an overtime victory against the Bulls -- but the Cavs star made sure to offer his concern for Hamlin during his postgame presser.

"Prayers up for the Bills' safety," Mitchell said. "I had heard about it. I didn't see it, but I wish him and his family, we're praying for him. From the Cavalier organization, we want to wish the best and pray everything goes well."

Hamlin, selected by the Bills in the 6th round of the 2021 NFL draft, was carted off the field during Monday Night Football after his heart stopped beating following a collision with Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins.

The Bills said Damar was transported to UC Medical Center -- a level-one trauma facility -- where he's receiving treatment and undergoing testing.

Thousands have opened up their wallets in an effort to show love for Damar Hamlin following the Bills defensive back's scary collapse Monday night ... donating over $3 MILLION to the football player's toy drive fundraiser.

Hamlin initially started the charity effort back in 2020 -- in an attempt to gain funds so he could distribute toys to kids in need in Pennsylvania. His target goal was simply $2,500.

But, in the hours after Hamlin suffered a terrifying medical emergency during the first quarter of Buffalo's "Monday Night Football" game against the Cincinnati Bengals, donations flooded in.

It hit $1 million roughly an hour after the 24-year-old had been rushed to the hospital, and by Tuesday morning, it was at $3,496,590.

Several NFL players appear to have given to the cause, as 49ers stars Trey Lance and Christian McCaffrey's names were written on the donation list.

In his note on the Gofundme page, Hamlin encouraged those who couldn't contribute monetarily to still help the cause ... writing, "We are accepting donated toys at the Daycare Center or simply spread the word by sharing this fundraiser on your social channels."

As we reported, the Bills say Hamlin suffered a cardiac arrest after he tackled Tee Higgins to the ground. The team said, thankfully, "his heartbeat was restored on the field and he was transferred to the UC Medical Center for further testing and treatment."

"He is currently sedated and listed in critical condition," Bills officials added.

Hamlin joined the Bills in 2021 -- and had started 13 games for the team this season.

USC legend LenDale White was so furious after watching his alma mater lose to Tulane that he took to social media to unload on the team ... at one point calling the Trojans defense "a f***ing joke."

Lincoln Riley's offense looked good against the Green Wave in Monday morning's Cotton Bowl -- but the defense ultimately let the team down ... giving up a game-winning TD with just seconds left to lose the contest, 46-45.

White was HOT about it all immediately afterward on Twitter ... rippin' everyone on the Trojans' D -- and then Riley himself.

"Our defense and whoever's a part of it is a f***ing joke," the former SC tailback said. "That bend don't break Defense s*** you brought from OU ain’t gonna cut it..!!!!!!"

He added, "It’s a shame to be a Trojan right now."

White's barrage on his old team didn't stop there ... he also tweeted "Tulane whooped our ass" and retweeted a fan who wrote, "USC is a joke."

SC had a promising start to the season -- it went 11-1 and appeared headed for the College Football Playoff.

But, the Trojans' defense was bad in the 47-24 loss to Utah in the Pac-12 Championship Game, and then again on Monday.