Eagles React to Damar Hamlin Injury

Most said they understand they play a violent game that has afforded them a living, but they addressed the fear that came with watching the Bills CB collpase on the field Monday

PHILADELPHIA - Nick Sirianni has spent the past day-and-a-half talking to his players, whether on the phone or in person, about the horrible scene that played out on Monday night involving Bills cornerback Damar Hamlin and the need to restart his heart on the playing field after he went into cardiac arrest after making a tackle.

“The focus of the conversations is how can we be there for you?” said the Eagles head coach on Wednesday. “…It's just we want to be there for these guys in a tough time, and that's where we are right now.”

Several Eagles players reacted to the injury on Wednesday that left Hamlin fighting for his life and continues to be in critical care at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center.

“It’s devastating,” said WR A.J. Brown. “One, you just hope he’s OK. I know he’s still battling, but as a player, you try not to think about those things. You play this physical game. 

"I like to say that it’s a car crash every time you get tackled. We just keep on going. It’s a game we love to play. It’s an ugly side of it, too. But you try not to think about it. I pray that he’s OK.”

Brown added, "When I’m done playing, I want to be able to run around with my kids and play with my kids. This game is serious. You just gotta pray and just give it your all."

Most Eagles had the same thought – they know they play a violent game, but it is something that they signed up for and has provided them a good living.

“You know as a football player what the stakes are, but it just put it that much more in perspective how close it is to it happening to yourself or other teammates, so I think for me, it’s just making sure I keep taking care of myself when I’m out there and to try to be in the best position possible to make plays,” said veteran Brandon Graham.

 “What is seemed to me looking at the play again, it was just like, man, he just got hit right in the chest and that’s just a common tackle, a common thing to happen, you know, get hit with a helmet in your chest, you suck it up and say, ‘Hey I’m going to get you next time.’

“But in this case, there wasn’t a next time and right now we’re hoping there will be a next time because we’re waiting to see what’s going on with him.”

The Eagles and every other NFL team have to find their focus for Week 18, and the Eagles will play a game that has big implications for them when they host the New York Giants.

Both teams have qualified for the postseason, but the Eagles are the team who have lost two in a row yet can still capture the top seed in the playoffs and guarantee themselves a bye and at least two home games to try to reach the Super Bowl.

Yet, after watching what happened to Hamlin, it may not be so easy to turn the page and resume their violent, on-field persona.

“I think the next down in football is going to be a little scary,” said Brown. “There are going to be a lot of thoughts, a lot of emotions. Everybody is trying to get back to just the norm. But I don’t know how I would feel if that was one of my teammates.”

That’s why Sirianni wanted to let his players know he was there for them, whatever they need.

"We want to make sure if we do have questions or if people are feeling a certain way that you voice it because coach will understand because that’s what the message was (Wednesday), talk about it, get it out of your system," said Graham

"Life is real. This is just a game and this shows you how much of a game it is when it comes down to life-and-death situations."

The Eagles have had two serious injuries happen to teammates Josh Sweat and Chauncey Gardner-Johnson.

Sweat needed to be carted off the field slowly after lying flat on his stomach for several minutes during last Sunday’s game against the Saints. He was taken to a local hospital with a neck injury but is expected to make a full recovery.

Gardner-Johnson suffered a lacerated kidney making a tackle on Nov. 27 against the Packers and has missed the last five games.

“Any time I see an injury, it’s kind of shocking to me, and I’m kind of in a weird space,” said CB James Bradberry. “…you have to refocus. Sweaty went down on Sunday, and I was sad about that.

“Even when Chauncey went down, I saw his face on the ground, he was in pain. So that was shocking for me. But you have to reset your focus, and you have to line back up because the game did go on.”

Not on Monday it didn’t, and there is no date rescheduled to play the Bills’ game in Cincinnati, where Hamlin went down.

“It’s always hard seeing guys go down,” said DT Fletcher Cox. “Shoot, even Josh went down. I ran over there to him and I said, ‘Are you OK?’ He said, ‘Yeah.’ I said ‘Alright. Just don’t move, they’re coming.’

“That’s one of those scary things. It’s a routine play like Josh went to make the tackle. He didn’t get up. He was down for a while. And then the other deal happened the next day, and it’s a lot.”

READ MORE: Jalen Hurts' Availability No Longer Feels Pressing After Damar Hamlin Incident

Ed Kracz is the publisher of SI.com’s Fan Nation Eagles Today and co-host of the Eagles Unfiltered Podcast. Check out the latest Eagles news at www.SI.com/NFL/Eagles or www.eaglesmaven.com and please follow him on Twitter: @kracze.