After Damar Hamlin‘s injury last night, many fans and analysts alike have been wondering how various front-office NFL branches would handle the situation.
So far, we have received reports from the NFL itself, the players association, and various professional athletes.
This morning, a report surfaced from the referees association.
Statement from the NFL Referees Association on Damar Hamlin, who remains hospitalized after collapsing Monday night in Cincinnati.
“Like the players and coaches, our officials fully supported the suspension of this game as all attention needed to be focused on Damar’s health." pic.twitter.com/ulsGc5j2m0
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) January 3, 2023
While this report is coming out later than many fans would likely prefer, it is a statement nonetheless.
The officials continue to reiterate that they are on the side of the players and want the best for the health and safety of all NFL athletes, and especially stand on the side of Hamlin.
Last night, when the game was still on the precipice of resuming play, many were criticizing the officials for not coming to a decision on the status of the game sooner.
However, since the officials are employed by the NFL, they were at the mercy of the league, and more specifically, the league office.
We’ll soon see if there is any additional flack that arises about the way that the league handled this situation, as many have questioned the length of time that it took them to decide last night’s game.
When a tragedy like this occurs, it can be easy to play the blame game or criticize the people in charge of making tough decisions.
However, this is a truly unprecedented situation.
While the league may not have acted as promptly as some may have wanted them to, they did the best that they possibly could in this trying situation.
NEXT: Tom Brady Comments On The Damar Hamlin Situation