Parents Once Again Worry About the Risks of Football After Damar Hamlin's Cardiac Arrest

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By Jo Anne Hubert , Parent Herald Jan 05, 04:25 am

Football players' frightening collapse is again worrying parents and restoring conversations about the safety of children playing football.

Parents and doctors worry most about concussions during a football game, and not cardiac arrest. Yet, after what happened to Buffalo Bills' safety Damar Hamlin last January 2, they are again questioning the game's risk and if it is worth letting their children play, Today reported.

The 24-year-old's frightening collapse due to cardiac arrest brought a sudden warning to parents that every sport has its danger, especially football.

Brain injury remains to be the ultimate concern. However, due to Hamlin's current health battle and situation, parents' difficult decision about whether or not to let their kids play football is highlighted.

Parents will be relieved if their children will not play

Parents' concerns about football and its safety are nothing new.

In 2018 NBC News and the Wall Street Journal conducted a poll and found that 48 percent of parents would encourage their children to choose and play a sport other than football because of the risk for concussions.

Laura Donovan, an Oregan mother of two, expressed that even if her husband is a huge football fan and a player in high school, both of them would not be sad if their sons decided never to play the sport. This is mainly because she thinks that out of all the sports that have concussion risk, "football seems like the most brutal of the bunch."

She admitted that she had always hoped that "football would be illegal" when her sons, who are still two and four, are already old enough to play. However, she also said she would support them and not entirely forbid it if they decide to play.

"I'd present the information about concussion risk and other injuries. I wouldn't want either kid to rebel, so all I can do is highlight the risk factor. I really hope neither son wants to play, but I also don't want my super negative reaction to be a reason for them to seek football out," Donovan expressed.

A 41-year-old mom, Casey Andrews, also expressed that she would feel relieved if her son, who is now six years old, would stay away from football, but she would not stop him.

However, the physical impacts like the head injuries from the sport are already her second concern, with culture in and out of the game being her first.

Hamlin still in critical condition

Hamlin collided with a Cincinnati Bengals receiver, and his chest was strongly hit. He stood up for a few seconds before collapsing to the ground. He received CPR on the field for at least 10 minutes or so.

According to a statement released by Buffalo Bills through Twitter, Hamlin's heartbeat had already been restored before he was taken to the Level 1 Trauma Center of the University of Cincinnati.

The statement added that Hamlin is sedated and currently remains in critical condition.

The University of Cincinnati Medical Center's spokesperson told Today that they still cannot provide any update as of the moment, while Dr. John Torres, senior medical correspondent of NBC News, declared that they still do not have exact details of what happened and of the player's health condition before the incident.