Dick Butkus, iconic figure of the Chicago Bears, experienced a surge of recollections flooding his mind when Damar Hamlin, a safety for the Buffalo Bills, collapsed on the field in Monday’s match against the Cincinnati Bengals.
In the Oct. 1971 game against the Detroit Lions, wide receiver Chuck Hughes fell down when Butkus was on the field in the fourth quarter.
He was subsequently pronounced dead, and to this day remains the only person to have died on the field during an NFL game.
The image of Hughes lying on the floor is one that has remained with Butkus until today.
He exclaimed, “He suddenly collapsed, losing the complexion he had. I was astonished, and following an unsuccessful throw, he was returning.” “I signaled to Dr. Fox, and coincidentally we were the nearest substitute area, at that time, both teams were on the identical side of the field. I was aware that he was in distress.”
Hughes was pronounced dead at a local hospital after being taken there. The game was permitted to continue after he was removed.
He said, “There was no talk of canceling any game.” “We were all waiting, and they were taking him off the field, and we certainly didn’t know what was going on. Then we found out that he died.”
After Hamlin collapsed, the teams returned to their locker rooms. Trainers administered CPR as he was transported in an ambulance. Eventually, it was decided to halt the rest of the competition.
Butkus stated that the incident concerning Hamlin received widespread attention while Hughes’ passing received comparatively limited coverage.
He mentioned that the impact of this was not really there, so the national TV coverage of the game in our country did not go well. It was not like this thing happened.
Many positives have emerged from the aftermath of Hamlin’s injury, with millions being raised in his name for charity and additional medical equipment being made available, leading to a significant increase in sign-ups for CPR classes.
Butkus praises the reminder, saying that he hopes fans and athletes alike will use it as a reminder to take care of their heart health, and never take it for granted.
Every year, approximately 700,000 people succumb to heart disease, and the Butkus Takes Heart campaign, which promotes early screening and scans for cardiovascular health, operates under the renowned linebacker’s foundation in order to combat it.
Butkus says that routine screenings helped him discover that he needed bypass surgery, since he has been experiencing similar symptoms to others who have undergone the surgery.
He stated that being a great athlete does not grant immunity to experiencing unforeseen events. If it happened to other athletes, it is certainly possible for it to happen to you as well. This unfortunate reality prompts one to contemplate the well-being of players and the general public. We are nearing the point where every NFL city will have a hospital equipped to offer these scans to former players and the public. Personally, I underwent a bypass surgery two decades ago without any prior indications or symptoms.