'Everyone Needs a Hug!' Falcons QB Desmond Ridder's Message; Damar Hamlin Update

Following the scary injury to Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin, Atlanta Falcons rookie quarterback Desmond Ridder delivered a strong message surrounding masculinity and inaccurate perceptions of it within the NFL.

The entire NFL world - if not the nation - came to a halt Monday night following a terrifying injury to Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin in the team's game against the Cincinnati Bengals.

After taking a hit to the chest from Bengals receiver Tee Higgins in what seemed to be a routine tackle, Hamlin collapsed and required CPR on the field before being taken to the hospital as everyone inside Paycor Stadium and watching via television looked on in fear.

Among those who watched helplessly was Atlanta Falcons rookie starting quarterback Desmond Ridder, who spent the previous five years at the University of Cincinnati, some five miles away from the Bengals' home turf.

Ridder noted that Hamlin's injury and others similar to it are further reminders of the dangers that football presents, one of the things that players sign up for when they take the job.

But nonetheless, the 23-year-old said that he "for sure" checked in on teammates - and shared a story that delivered a strong message surrounding mental health and the image of masculinity as it relates to sport.

"In walkthrough (last) Friday morning, me and (fullback) Keith Smith bumped into each other, and I thought he was coming in to give me a hug and I guess he wasn't," Ridder began. "I was like 'oh, that's cool.' He was like 'oh, you want a hug, bro?' I was like 'I'll take a hug.' He's like 'everyone needs a hug once in a while.'

"It was just a little cool moment between us two where it's like all big, bad, tough men, whatever you want to call it, but at the end of the day, sometimes everyone needs a hug, too."

Ridder, already married with a daughter, is mature beyond his years and has garnered respect from teammates because of his ability to relate and understand the larger picture, as shown in this instance.

As for Hamlin, the latest reports are largely positive - his breathing tube has been removed and he spoke with his Bills teammates via FaceTime on Friday morning. While still facing a long road of recovery, Hamlin appears to have "won the game of life," per his doctors.

Now, Ridder and the Falcons will look to win their own game - the season finale on Sunday against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, with kickoff set for 1 p.m. inside Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

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You can follow Daniel Flick on Twitter @DFlickDraft

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