5 NFL players who suffered a cardiac arrest ft. Damar Hamlin

Since Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin collapsed on the field in January, cardiac arrest has been a topic of interest.

The Buffalo Bills medical staff's quick thinking saved his life and it has started a movement. The movement has allowed coaches and trainers around the country to receive the knowledge and training to be able to respond if need be.

The recent news of LeBron James' son Bronny suffering a cardiac arrest at a basketball workout at USC has the issue making the headlines again. Well-trained, conditioned athletes who take pride in their health can suddenly suffer this medical emergency.

Hamlin tweeted his support for Bronny James and the entire James family on Tuesday morning. Hamlin said that he would be there for them as they were for him.

What led to Damar Hamlin's cardiac arrest?

The Bills safety was reportedly diagnosed with 'commotio cordis' which occurs from suffering blunt trauma to the chest. The condition then sends the heart into arrhythmia and subsequent cardiac arrest.

The condition is said to occur within milliseconds of a window after impact.

In Hamlin's case, the blunt trauma occurred after Tee Higgins' helmet came into contact with his chest during a tackle.

Damar Hamlin and 4 other NFL players who suffered a cardiac arrest

Damar Hamlin

Damar Hamlin's cardiac arrest was a unique situation. His was caused by a hit that he took while playing against the Cincinnati Bengals on Monday Night Football on Jan. 3, 2023. The safety went to tackle Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins and when he did so, it caused him to suddenly drop.

The game was then suspended as players from both the Bills and Bengals were distraught by what they had just witnessed. Hamlin was in the ICU for several days afterwards, with the whole world waiting to hear of his prognosis. During the offseason, he was officially medically cleared and allowed to return to the Buffalo Bills for the 2023 NFL season.

J.J. Watt

On Oct. 2, 2022, less than an hour before kickoff, Arizona Cardinals defensive end J.J. Watt took to Twitter to share some health news.

He said that he had suffered atrial fibrillation, or A-Fib for short, earlier in the week. He said that he went to the hospital the next day and proceeded to have his heart 'shocked back into rhythm.'

Watt initially planned to keep his health status private but learned that it would soon be leaked. He played the rest of the 2022 NFL season without any complications. He then announced his retirement at the end of the season.

Chuck Hughes

In 1971, Detroit Lions wide receiver Chuck Hughes was headed toward his team's huddle to prepare for the next play. He suddenly collapsed on the field at Tiger Stadium after suffering a heart attack. Despite the medical staff's attempt at regaining a heartbeat, he died at just 28 years old.

After his death, it was discovered that he had a condition called arteriosclerotic coronary heart disease. Although it was never diagnosed, Hughes had collapsed in the locker room earlier that season. Doctors couldn't find the source and allowed him to continue playing the rest of the season.

Gaines Adams

Gaines Adams was originally drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers with the fourth overall pick in the 2007 NFL Draft. In 2009, the Buccaneers traded the defensive end to the Chicago Bears.

Just months after he was traded to the Bears, the 26-year-old went into cardiac arrest at his home in South Carolina.

His girlfriend called 911 and he was taken to a local hospital for treatment. He, unfortunately, died a short time later. Doctors said that Adams' cardiac arrest was caused by an enlarged heart.

Cyrus Jones

Former Alabama cornerback Cyrus Jones' situation is a bit different than the others. He too had played football for many years including three in the NFL. He never experienced any issues until doctors discovered a congenital coronary defect in his heart. This was shortly after being released by the Baltimore Ravens in 2019.

He underwent open-heart surgery in fall of 2020. He has no side effects of the condition or the surgery. He had hoped to return to the National Football League but hasn't played since 2019.