Cincinnati Bengals

Despite suffering a high ankle sprain in last weekend's 27-20 Divisional-round win over the Jacksonville Jaguars, Mahomes was able to practice three times this week and declared "I'm ready to go” on Wednesday.

Chiefs head coach Andy Reid has confirmed that Mahomes would play in the AFC title game for the fifth year in a row on Sunday when the Chiefs host the Cincinnati Bengals.

"He looks good," Reid said on Friday. "I mean, he's moving around good. He's going to go out and play."

After Mahomes said on Wednesday that he would be fit, the quarterback began fielding questions about how much a sprained ankle might change his effectiveness or style of play.

"I feel like I can still do a lot of things," he said. "We'll see as we get closer and closer, and we'll see during the game.

"You can't fully do exactly what you're going to be doing in those moments in the game [in practice], but all I can do is prepare myself the best way possible and then when we get in the game, you hope adrenaline kind of takes over."

Mahomes returned to last Saturday’s game to help lead the Chiefs over the Jaguars, but he was clearly limping and was unable to pull off some of his signature improvisation due to his injury.

After a week of rehabilitation, neither Mahomes nor Reid are willing to say publicly if the 2018 NFL MVP will be able to run the entire playbook.

"We have enough in the game plan where you can kind of pick and choose where you want to go with it," he said. "You have a variety of things that you can go to. Obviously, you don't use all the plays in the game plan, but they're available and so if you have to go a certain direction, you can go that direction with the calls."

Meanwhile, the Bengals are not expecting Mahomes to be any less potent.

Cincinnati pass rusher Sam Hubbard said: "We're preparing for Patrick Mahomes like he's 100 per cent, because I'm sure he's going to be playing 100 per cent. That's all you can do."

Things got off to a poor start for the visiting Bengals, with quarterback Joe Burrow throwing an interception on the opening drive of the game.

After a scoreless first quarter, Nick Chubb powered home a three-yard touchdown run early in the second period, also converting the two-point conversion, and a late field goal would give his Browns an 11-0 lead at the long break.

The Browns came out of halftime strongly, manufacturing an 11-play drive that culminated in a three-yard touchdown scamper from quarterback Jacoby Brissett.

A four-yard goal-line fade to Amari Cooper blew out the margin to 25-0, before a few late touchdowns finally put some Bengals points on the board.

Burrow ended up completing touchdown passes to Tyler Boyd and Tee Higgins to salvage a respectable day, completing 25 of his 35 passes for 232 yards, two touchdowns and one interception.

Brissett was strong, completing 17-of-22 for 278 yards, one touchdown and one fumble, but Chubb was the engine that made the offense move.

Chubb ran the ball 23 times for 101 yards and two touchdowns, while through the air it was Cooper leading the way with five catches for 131 yards and a score.

With the win, the Browns snapped a four-game losing streak and moved to 3-5. They remain behind the Bengals (4-4) and the Baltimore Ravens (5-3) in the AFC North.

Cincinnati had long been expected to pick Burrow to be the Bengals' franchise quarterback following his stellar 2019 with the LSU Tigers.

They did just that in historic fashion on Thursday, selecting Burrow with the top pick in the first fully remote draft, the NFL forced to cancel the public event in Las Vegas due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Bengals head coach Zac Taylor will hope Burrow can turn their fortunes around after they went 2-14 in 2019.

Everything Burrow did in his final collegiate season suggests he has the ability to do so.

Burrow authored one of the greatest college campaigns of all-time, leading LSU to the National Championship and winning the Heisman Trophy as he threw 60 touchdowns and just six interceptions.

The Ohio native's arrival will likely spell the end of Andy Dalton's time in Cincinnati. Dalton has a 70-61-2 record with the Bengals but has been unable to lead them to a first playoff win since the 1990 season.

Now the onus shifts to Burrow to end that drought.

Burrow was selected with the top pick in April's NFL Draft and the 23-year-old has agreed to terms on a four-year, $36million contract.

All eyes are on Burrow, who will be tasked with trying to turn around Cincinnati's fortunes – the Bengals have not won a playoff game in three decades.

After moving on from veteran QB Andy Dalton, Taylor insisted the Bengals have faith in Burrow.

"We're going to put a lot on Joe right out of the gate," Taylor told a news conference on Wednesday.

"Obviously we have weeks to sort out who's starting and all that good stuff, but Joe's going to walk in and take the first snaps at quarterback. He's prepared for that."

Taylor added: "We took him because we've got high expectations for Joe. And from everything I know about him and have seen of him, he's got high expectations for himself.

"And so he's going to do everything he can to put himself in a position to be successful. I trust that."

The Bengals will open their season against the Los Angeles Chargers on September 13.

Burrow won the Heisman Trophy last season having led LSU to a national title, breaking numerous records along the way, including throwing 60 touchdowns – an all-time leading mark in the NCAA.

Tagged by the Bengals back in March, the seven-time Pro Bowler had been seeking a multi-year contract to stay in Cincinnati. The two sides did not work out a deal prior to Wednesday's deadline, however, and Green had said he would honour the tag and report to camp. 

"A.J. is one of the best receivers in the NFL," Bengals coach Zac Taylor said in a statement. "He's an important part of our plans, and we're thrilled to have him in the fold from day one. We're looking forward to the impact of his talent and leadership on our offense this season." 

After tearing his left ankle in the first practice of training camp a year ago and missing all of the 2019 season, the soon-to-be 32-year-old will be suiting up for a ninth season with the Bengals – and first without Andy Dalton. 

The fully healed Green will now be teaming up with number one pick Joe Burrow, so arriving at camp on time will be paramount for the two to develop chemistry after Green had worked for so long with a different quarterback. 

Since Green’s rookie season in 2011, only two quarterback-wide receiver tandems have totalled more pass completions than Dalton’s 581 to Green – the Pittsburgh Steelers' Ben Roethlisberger and Antonio Brown (783) and the Atlanta Falcons' Matt Ryan and Julio Jones (782) – and that is with Green missing all of last season. 

"By signing, A.J. puts himself and the team in the best position to have a great season together, and we look forward to the opportunity at the end of the season to discuss keeping him here long-term," Bengals executive vice president Katie Blackburn said.

"He has been an integral part of our team, and we expect this year that he will be the same impact player he has always been." 

Green has said before he would like to finish his career in Cincinnati, and only Chad Johnson ranks ahead of him in Bengals franchise history in receiving yards (8,907), receptions (602) and touchdown catches (63). 

But, after the first overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft saw a promising rookie season snuffed out by a serious knee injury, there is as much tension as there is excitement surrounding the Bengals.

Burrow tore his ACL and his MCL in a Week 11 meeting with the Washington Football Team, the Bengals losing four of their six games with him on the sideline to finish 4-11-1.

The relatively smooth transition Burrow made to the pros should raise hopes he can be the man to eventually bring success to a franchise that has not won a playoff game since the 1990 season.

Yet recoveries from injuries as severe as that of Burrow's are far from guaranteed and the holes on a roster that still looks some way from legitimate contention could mean another year of struggle for Cincinnati.

That may spell trouble for head coach Zac Taylor, who heads into year three as head coach with just six wins to his name.

What do the Bengals need to do to produce more tangible signs of progress in 2021? 

We used Stats Perform data to look back on their 2020 and their offseason moves so far to identify areas of focus for the coming year.

Offense

The set-up in Cincinnati was not conducive to success for a rookie quarterback, and the numbers bore that out in 2020.

Cincinnati ranked 30th in yards per play with an average of 4.92 while they were 28th in yards per pass play (5.48).

Yet Burrow's individual numbers from his 10 games suggest he was the right pick for a team that has been nothing short of moribund since their trip to the postseason in 2015.

Burrow ranked seventh in the NFL in yards per game (268.8) across his 10 appearances for Bengals from Week 1 to 11, with his average impacted by his injury against Washington.

He had five 300-yard passing games and averaged a poor throw every 13.1 attempts, a better rate than Josh Allen (11.4), Deshaun Watson (11.9) and Lamar Jackson (12.5).

However, Burrow's numbers as a deep-ball passer were very disappointing. His 23 pass completions of 20 yards or more were two fewer than Dak Prescott, who played only five games, and he completed just eight of his 42 attempts of at least 21 air yards.

Burrow's passer rating on those throws was 53.9, 26th of 28 quarterbacks with at least 25 such passes.

He likely would have fared better going downfield had he benefited from greater protection. Burrow was sacked on 7.34 per cent of his dropbacks, the 10th-highest rate among quarterbacks with at least 200 dropbacks.

But Burrow can have confidence in his receivers. Tee Higgins' 908 receiving yards were the third-most among rookies in 2020 and both he and Tyler Boyd, who had 841 yards, proved dependable options on third down.

Twelve of Higgins' 14 third-down receptions went for a first down, while Boyd moved the chains on 15 of his 19 third-down catches.

Cincinnati's rushing attack was just as inefficient as the passing game, the Bengals ranking 27th with 4.06 yards per attempt.

Only four teams had fewer runs of 10 yards or more than the Bengals' 37, with Joe Mixon averaging only 3.6 yards per rush across his six games after signing a contract extension, his year prematurely ended by a foot injury.

Burrow and Mixon having their seasons curtailed cut short any intrigue surrounding the Bengals in 2020, and they won't be interesting in 2021 unless their signal-caller receives better assistance from the offensive line and a defense that ranked among the league's most porous last season.

Defense

The most complimentary thing you could say about the Bengals' defense last year was that it showed some signs of developing into a 'bend but don't break' unit.

Cincinnati allowed 6.10 yards per play in 2020, ranking 28th, yet they were closer to the middle of the pack in terms of points conceded.

The Bengals were 22nd in offensive points allowed (410), and 21st in opponent scoring efficiency, allowing a touchdown or field on 78 of 180 opponent drives.

While those numbers were far from the worst in the NFL, the Bengals defense still bent and broke far too often for Cincinnati to compete on a week-to-week basis.

Simply put, the Bengals did not do enough to put opposing offenses in difficult situations.

Cincinnati's tally of 67 negative plays forced was 30th in the NFL, with the negative play yardage of minus 208 yards the lowest in the league.

Only four teams produced fewer takeaways than their 17 turnovers, which produced a total of 47 points that ranked tied for 25th.

An anaemic pass rush was a critical reason for their inability to take the ball away. Cincinnati had the fewest sacks in the NFL (17) and the fourth-fewest quarterback knockdowns (66).

As was the case on offense, the running game provided little relief for Cincinnati, the Bengals continually gashed by opposing ground games.

Only the Houston Texans (5.20), allowed a higher yards per carry average than the 5.11 yards per attempt the Bengals gave up.

Additionally, opponents racked up 73 runs of 10 yards or more against the Bengals defense, 22 more than the league average of 51.

Despite a busy free agency, there isn't much to suggest Cincinnati will be drastically improved on that side of the ball in 2021.

Offseason

The Bengals lost their most disruptive pass rusher from last season as edge rusher Carl Lawson departed for the New York Jets in free agency.

Lawson had only 5.5 sacks but racked up 32 quarterback hits, with his combined hurries and knockdowns tally of 65.5 tied for ninth in the NFL.

Cincinnati immediately replaced Lawson by signing Trey Hendrickson to a four-year, $60million deal after his breakout season with the New Orleans Saints.

The Bengals are banking on Hendrickson being able to consistently replicate a 2020 season that saw him record 13.5 sacks, though that may be a more difficult task playing in front of a secondary that lost arguably its best player with William Jackson III leaving for Washington.

Jackson had double-digit pass deflections in three of his four seasons with Cincinnati and is coming off a year in which he had a burn percentage in coverage of 46.5, his lowest since his rookie campaign (34.7).

They filled the void he left by gambling on the athleticism of former Dallas Cowboy cornerback Chidobe Awuzie, whose burn percentage of 59.5 for his career is significantly worse than Jackson's 48.2.

Cincinnati can afford to have more confidence in Mike Hilton's reliability as a nickel cornerback. Hilton comes across from the Pittsburgh Steelers having posted a career-high three interceptions in just six starts last season.

The Bengals demonstrated their understanding of the need to better protect Burrow by signing left tackle Riley Reiff to a one-year deal after he allowed only two sacks and was penalised just once in 15 games for the Minnesota Vikings in 2020.

But Reiff is entering the latter half of his career at 32, meaning his arrival certainly should not prohibit the Bengals from targeting a top-tier offensive line prospect like Penei Sewell or Rashawn Slater with the fifth overall pick in the first round.

With wide receiver A.J. Green ending his long association with Cincinnati by signing with the Arizona Cardinals, there may be a temptation to give Burrow, who has already endorsed the potential selection of former LSU team-mate Ja'Marr Chase, a dynamic third option to go with Higgins and Boyd.

However, after their failure to protect Burrow left him facing a lengthy recovery process to get back to the field, the Bengals must prioritise players who can give him a clean pocket from which he can put the franchise back on the road to prominence.

Prescott had already signed his tender offer and will earn approximately $31.4million for the upcoming season before becoming an unrestricted free agent, unless the Cowboys opt to again place the franchise tag on him - a move that would count over $37m towards the 2021 salary cap.

The two-time Pro Bowl selection is one of 10 players who have signed their franchise tenders but were unable to come to terms on multi-year contracts with their respective teams. Two others, Jacksonville Jaguars defensive end Yannick Ngakoue and Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver A.J. Green, have yet to sign their offers.

The Tennessee Titans were able to agree to a reported four-year, $50m contract with 2019 NFL rushing champion Derrick Henry just prior to the deadline, while the defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs locked up defensive lineman Chris Jones with a four-year, $85 million deal on Tuesday.

Along with Prescott, Tampa Bay Buccaneers pass rusher Shaq Barrett, Pittsburgh Steelers outside linebacker Bud Dupree, Minnesota Vikings safety Anthony Harris, Los Angeles Chargers tight end Hunter Henry, Baltimore Ravens pass rusher Matthew Judon, Washington guard Brandon Scherff, Denver Broncos safety Justin Simmons, New England Patriots guard Joe Thuney and New York Giants defensive lineman Leonard Williams will play under the franchise tag in 2020.

Ngakoue has publicly declared his intention to no longer play for the Jaguars and has requested a trade, though the team has yet to find a suitable offer for the standout edge rusher.

NFL.com reported on Tuesday that Prescott had turned down a multi-year offer from the Cowboys that would pay him between $33 and $35m annually and included over $100m in guaranteed money.

The soon-to-be 27-year-old is coming off a stellar 2019 season in which he established career highs of 4,902 passing yards and 30 touchdown passes while directing the NFL's top-ranked offense in terms of total yards per game.

Negotiations between the Cowboys and Prescott were likely impacted by the recent 10-year, $450m extension the Chiefs gave to 2018 NFL MVP Patrick Mahomes that reset the top end of the quarterback pay scale.

Judon is currently slated to earn the second-highest salary among the group unable to land multi-year deals after he and the Ravens agreed to a $16.808m offer, a compromise between the tender rate for a defensive end and linebacker. Barrett, Dupree and Williams have filed grievances arguing they should be designated as defensive ends, which carries a higher tender value than linebackers or defensive tackles.  

Following reports, the Cowboys announced an agreement with Dalton on a one-year deal following his departure from the Bengals.

The deal for Dalton is reportedly worth a guaranteed $3million and could be worth up to $7m.  

Dalton spent nine seasons with the Bengals and helped lead them to the playoffs five times before he was released on Thursday after Cincinnati selected Joe Burrow with the top overall pick in the NFL Draft.

Dalton posted a 70-61-2 regular-season record as Cincinnati's starting quarterback, but the Bengals have not won a playoff game since 1990.  

In Dallas, Dalton will serve as backup to Dak Prescott – who was given the franchise tag by the Cowboys earlier this offseason. 

Dallas are still trying to come to a long-term contract agreement with Prescott.  

Dalton – the Bengals' career leader in touchdown passes and a three-time Pro Bowler – already has a home in Dallas and played in college at nearby TCU.  

Crosby missed from 36 yards and 51 yards either side of Bengals kicker Evan McPherson failing from 57 yards and then, following a Joe Burrow interception that put the Packers deep in Cincinnati territory, sent a 40-yard effort wide left in overtime.

However, McPherson was no good from 49 yards in the extra period as Cincinnati wasted another chance to bring an absorbing battle of 3-1 teams to a close, and Crosby did not spurn his fourth opportunity from the same distance to seal a 25-22 triumph for Green Bay.

Speaking to Peter King for his Football Morning in America column after the game, Crosby said: "Sounds boring, but I've been in it for a long time, and make or miss, you move to the next one.

"You kinda go through the process for a play or two and then you have to reload. When [head coach] Matt [LaFleur] came right down to me he just said, 'What are you thinking?' And of course, I wanted to kick it.

"It's my job. I just keep resetting. I haven't missed many kicks the last few years. Unfortunately, it came in a little bit of a cluster here, but I know my ability and when everything is smooth and good, we go out there and execute.

"It was another opportunity. Just couldn't believe with how crazy this game was that we had another chance.

"But when there's chaos, when the challenge gets even higher and the pressure gets greater, you have to find that calm.

"I'm able to do that. I want to be out there. If you get too high, you won't find that calm."

While the game will ultimately be remembered for the kicking misadventures of Crosby and McPherson, there was history for Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers.

Rodgers' touchdown pass to Davante Adams in the second quarter saw him go outright fifth on the all-time list with 422 for his illustrious career, moving him ahead of Philip Rivers.

He will hope to add to that tally when the 4-1 Packers visit the 3-2 Chicago Bears on Sunday.

Crosby missed two field goals in the final quarter as Cincinnati pegged back the visitors at 22-22, with the Packers #2 then squandering another chance early in overtime.

His third miss came sandwiched in between Bengals rookie Evan McPherson twice hitting the post with field goal attempts of his own.

Yet a brilliant pass from the superb Aaron Rodgers – who threw for two touchdowns to take him into outright fifth place in the all-time list for quarterbacks with 422 – to Randall Cobb teed up the game-winning moment.

Bengals QB Joe Burrow also threw for two touchdowns, having got Cincinnati started when he picked out Samaje Perine from close range in the first quarter. 

Burrow collected his second TD pass of the game in style, throwing 70 yards (the longest pass of his NFL career) for Ja'Marr Chase to cross.

Chase's score came after Rodgers had propelled the Packers ahead with passes to Davante Adams and AJ Dillon, and although Joe Mixon forced OT, Crosby held his nerve at the fourth time of asking.

Brady downs Dolphins

A week on from breaking Drew Brees' NFL passing record, Brady was at his imperious best again for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, throwing for five touchdowns and 411 yards in a 45-17 win over the Miami Dolphins.

His 72 touchdown passes against the Dolphins mean he is the joint-leader, alongside Dan Marino (72 v. the New York Jets) for TD passes against a single opponent in the Super Bowl era, while his 62-yard pass for Antonio Brown on Sunday was the longest he has thrown while at the Buccaneers. 

Pitts stars in London

The NFL returned to London on Sunday, with the Atlanta Falcons overcoming the New York Jets 27-20. Rookie receiver Kyle Pitts was the star of the show at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, taking nine catches for 119 yards and a touchdown, the first of his NFL career.

Chark was injured early in the Jaguars' 24-21 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals on Thursday Night Football.

Jags head coach Urban Meyer suspected Chark had suffered an ankle fracture after the game and NFL Network have reported the diagnosis has now been confirmed.

"Tough one," said Meyer. "I heard it's a broken ankle. He was starting to play well - that's a big one."

Chark suffered the injury on what was just Jacksonville's third offensive play of the game and had to be carted off the field.

As he was being tackled, running back James Robinson inadvertently rolled on top of Chark's leg. The wide receiver had been attempting to set a block for Robinson.

It is a big blow to the struggling Jags, who fell to 0-4 despite leading 14-0 at the interval. They have now suffered 19 straight losses dating back to last season.

Chark, who is in the final year of his contract, racked up 1,714 receiving yards across 2019 and 2020, with Trevor Lawrence now losing a top target for the foreseeable future.

Number one overall pick Lawrence has had a rocky start but produced his most solid game so far against the Bengals, rushing for one touchdown and having no turnovers as he completed 17 of 24 passes for 207 yards.

But he was hurt that a first NFL win was taken away from him, with the Bengals launching a comeback before kicking a 35-yard field goal as time expired to go 3-1 for the season.

"We'll have to regroup a little bit, this one hurts," said Jaguars quarterback Lawrence. "We're up 14-0 at half-time and come back out and just somehow come up on the wrong side of it, that's tough. 

"We're going to bounce back, no doubt, I know what we're made of. 

"Just seeing how we've handled the first three weeks, I know nothing is going to change but damn, I really want to get a win with these guys. 

"We've just got to finish, collectively. It's everybody. It's not one side of the ball or anything like that. 

"It's all of us finishing. I'm not even going to say it's going to take time, we're right there and you guys have seen it the last few weeks."

According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, NFL franchise the Cowboys signed Dalton to a one-year deal after his Cincinnati exit.

The deal is reportedly worth a guaranteed $3million and could be worth up to $7m.  

Dalton spent nine seasons with the Bengals and helped lead them to the playoffs five times before he was released on Thursday after Cincinnati drafted quarterback Joe Burrow with the top overall pick in last month's draft.  

Dalton posted a 70-61-2 regular-season record as Cincinnati's starting QB, but the Bengals have not won a playoff game since 1990.  

In Dallas, Dalton will serve as backup to Dak Prescott – who was given the franchise tag by the Cowboys earlier this offseason. 

Dallas are still trying to come to a long-term contract agreement with Prescott.  

Dalton – the Bengals' career leader in touchdown passes and a three-time Pro Bowler – already has a home in Dallas and played in college at nearby TCU.  

Quarterback Dalton left the Bengals in 2020 after spending nine years with the team. He is Cincinnati's all-time passing touchdown leader (204).

The 34-year-old spent the 2020 season with the Dallas Cowboys before heading to Chicago and the Bears last year. He is now at the New Orleans Saints, and with Jameis Winston questionable due to back and ankle injuries, is expected to start in the Week 6 clash against his old team.

Having helped the Cowboys and the Bears to wins over the Bengals over the past two seasons, Dalton could become the fourth QB since 1950 to go 3-0 or better against the team he was drafted by.

Joe Burrow replaced Dalton in Cincinnati and was the key to their charge to the Super Bowl last season.

Burrow has completed at least 60 per cent of his passes in 22 successive regular-season games, which ties him level with Steve Young for the second-longest streak in NFL history behind Drew Brees, who went 31 straight between 2018 and 2020.

The Bengals are 4-2 all-time on the road against the Saints, their second-best road record against a single opponent, yet in Taysom Hill they face a player who made history last week. 

In New Orleans' 39-32 win over the Seattle Seahawks, Hill became the first player in the league to rush for 100+ yards on 10+ yards per carry, rush for three or more touchdowns and also throw a TD pass in the same game.

Bills safety Hamlin collapsed on the field in the first quarter of Monday's game at the Paycor Stadium after making a tackle on Bengals receiver Tee Higgins.

The Bills subsequently announced Hamlin was in critical condition after being rushed to a nearby hospital, and an update issued on Tuesday confirmed he remained in intensive care.

A statement from the Bills read: "Damar Hamlin spent last night in the intensive care unit and remains there today in critical condition at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center.

"We are grateful and thankful for the outpouring of support we have received thus far."

Meanwhile, the NFL has ruled the game – which was stopped with just under six minutes played – will not be resumed this week, confirming no decision regarding a possible rescheduling had been made.

"The NFL continues to be in regular contact with the medical team caring for Damar Hamlin, and also the Bills and Bengals organisations and the NFL Players Association," the league said.

"After speaking with both teams and NFLPA leadership, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell informed the clubs today that the Bills-Bengals game will not be resumed this week.

"The NFL has made no decision regarding the possible resumption of the game at a later date. The league has not made any changes to the Week 18 regular season schedule.

"We will continue to provide additional information as it becomes available."

Buffalo Bills safety Hamlin collapsed after tackling Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins in the first quarter of the game, slumping to the turf having momentarily made his way back to his feet.

CPR was administered to Hamlin on the field before he was taken away by ambulance, with a representative saying on Tuesday Hamlin was "fighting" to recover.

Hamlin has been described as being in critical condition at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center, and Brown joined those giving their best wishes to the 24-year-old.

Brown said in a statement: "First and foremost, the Bengals continue to send thoughts and prayers to Damar Hamlin and his family. 

"Our hearts are with everyone in this unprecedented time – what we can do is support one another.

"Last night was supposed to be a great night for the NFL and a great showcase for our hometown. Instead, the human side of our sport became paramount… and in that moment, humanity and love rose to the forefront.

"The Bengals are thankful for the love and compassion shown by all. Praying for Damar."

Brown also hailed the medical response to Hamlin's collapse, which led to the game being suspended with the Bengals 7-3 ahead.

He added: "As medical personnel undertook extraordinary measures, both teams demonstrated respect and compassion while fans in the stadium and people around the country bolstered the support for Damar and love for each other."

Kramsky, who covers the Bengals, was reporting on the fixture at the Paycor Stadium.

The game was suspended after 24-year-old Hamlin, who as of Tuesday was in critical condition in a Cincinnati hospital, collapsed on the field.

Hamlin received emergency treatment, including CPR, before he was transported from the stadium in an ambulance.

"I've never seen a stretcher come out so fast. I'm a former athlete myself and in my journalism career or in my sports career, I've never seen such quick action," Kramsky told Stats Perform.

"We heard the mics of the players, [Bengals running back] Joe Mixon screaming 'check him out, check him out!' after Damar Hamlin got up and collapsed.

"The players were immediately extremely emotional. I've never seen so many players crying, adult men hysterical. The ambulance comes out shortly after, CPR is going on for about 10 minutes, the AD defibrillator, that's being used. They're shocking his heart back to life.

"And then, not a fan left the stadium. Everyone and every player was still on the field kneeling, praying or crying."

The NFL eventually elected to suspend the game, though Kramsky never had any doubt it would be called off.

"This game was over as soon as he went down, which is crazy because that doesn't happen in professional sports," he added.

"The NFL took a while to make their decision. But it wasn't like they really made it, it was never a decision. It was just a matter of getting through the appropriate rungs.

"They're seeing the players, Joe Burrow the Bengals quarterback went into the Bills locker room later on. I saw Josh Allen extremely teary-eyed going into the Bengals locker room. It was emotional. Nobody really processing it, because how do you? 

"It was a bone-chilling experience in the stadium. Players were still there until past one o'clock in the morning. It was a crazy night."

Kramsky was at least able to take some solace in the fact that fans of both teams, and from across the sporting world, have united behind Hamlin.

Having been drafted by the Bills in 2021, Hamlin established the Chasing M Foundation Community Toy Drive, and the fund raiser had received over $3million in donations in the wake of the incident.

"Tragedy brings people together and sports brings people together," Kramsky said.

"Yes, incredible. Unfortunately, not surprising, because it takes tragedy for this to happen. And it has brought people together.

"If you look at his GoFundMe for his toy drive, it had for over two years less than $3,000 raised. There's over $3million raised now.

"So yeah, as soon as that stretcher came out football became secondary. No one cared, it was all about Damar Hamlin and his family. And people did come together.

"Bills fans and Bengals fans are coming with candles praying, standing outside the stadium, outside the hospital. It's been a nice experience in that regard."

Hamlin collapsed on the field during Monday's game, with his team the Bills subsequently confirming the 24-year-old suffered a cardiac arrest.

He was given CPR on the field before being transported by ambulance to the University of Cincinnati Medical Center, where he is in a critical condition.

As stars from across the sporting world, particularly in the United States, offered their thoughts and prayers, the NFLRA lauded the swift action of the emergency responders at the Paycor Stadium.

"On behalf of the NFL officials working the Buffalo Bills vs. Cincinnati Bengals game last night we offer our thoughts and prayers for a speedy recovery for Damar Hamlin," a statement said.

"Additionally, we commend the emergency medical staff and doctors who quickly responded on the field to Damar's serious health issue."

The organisation also fully supported the decision to suspend the game.

"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," the statement concluded.

Hamlin was in a critical condition at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center, having collapsed during Monday's game against the Cincinnati Bengals.

Hamlin made a tackle on Bengals receiver Tee Higgins in the first quarter, and after briefly returning to his feet, he slumped to the ground.

He was administered CPR on the field, before being loaded into a waiting ambulance and rushed away.

Amid harrowing scenes, the game was suspended while the Bengals were leading 7-3 with 5:58 remaining in the first period.

Allen led the call for prayer for Hamlin, with well-wishers from across sport, entertainment and politics also sending thoughts and best wishes.

Former Chargers and Saints quarterback Drew Brees wrote on Twitter: "Damar Hamlin represents every one of us and every team-mate we've ever had.

"I've never met him, but I know him as a member of our brotherhood. My family and I pray for him and his family as he recovers. God be with him."

Michael Vick and Patrick Mahomes also said they were praying for Hamlin, the latter adding: "Please be okay man."

Tennessee Titans quarterback Ryan Tannehill added: "Praying for Damar Hamlin, his family and everyone in Buffalo... no words for a situation like this."

The NFL said: "Our thoughts and prayers are with Damar, his family and the Buffalo Bills."

Arizona Cardinals defensive end J.J. Watt said: "The game is not important. Damar Hamlin’s life is important. Please be ok. Please."

From basketball, the NBA said: "The entire NBA family's thoughts and prayers are with Damar Hamlin, his family and the NFL community."

That was reflected in post-game comments from a number of leading stars after Monday's NBA action, with Lakers superstar LeBron James saying: "My thoughts and super prayers goes up to the skies above for that kid's family, for him, for that brotherhood of the NFL and everybody a part of the NFL family."

James said it was "definitely the right call" to abandon the game for the night.

He said of the incident: "It was a terrible thing to see and I wish nothing but the best for that kid, for the city of Buffalo, for the franchise of the Bills and like I said, for the rest of the NFL as well and also the Bengals that was there and playing in that game."

Klay Thompson, from the Golden State Warriors, added: "As athletes, sometimes the game can overshadow us as individuals or people.

"On behalf of the organisation, we wish him the best. We're keeping him in our prayers and hoping for the best possible outcome. He's a tremendous person and it's bigger than the sport."

Hollywood actor Ben Stiller, a big sports fan, wrote: "Sending good thoughts and prayers to Damar Hamlin and his family."

Former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani said: "Our prayers are with Damar Hamlin."

Amid the focus on Hamlin's plight, there was a surge in donations to a Christmas fundraiser the Bills star organised in 2020, to raise money to buy toys for children hit hard by the pandemic.

The fundraiser's target had been $2,500, but its running tally passed $3million by the early hours of Tuesday.

Bills safety Hamlin suffered an on-field cardiac arrest during Monday's game against the Cincinnati Bengals and was said by a representative on Tuesday to be "fighting" to recover.

Hamlin has been described as being in a critical condition at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center, with team-mates and opponents calling for prayers for the 24-year-old's recovery.

The incident occurred when Hamlin made a tackle on Bengals receiver Tee Higgins in the first quarter, and after briefly returning to his feet, he slumped to the ground.

He was attended to on the field before being taken away by ambulance, with the game suspended while the Bengals were 7-3 ahead with 5:58 remaining in the first period.

Seven-time Super Bowl winner Brady, still playing as a 45-year-old with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, said: "We're praying for Damar and his family this morning in Tampa. Moments like this put into perspective what it means to play this game we love."

The quarterback great added: "Thankful for our communities in Cincinnati and Buffalo for the overwhelming level of care and support I know they’ll continue to provide."

Jordon Rooney, a marketing representative for Hamlin, told Good Morning America on Tuesday: "I can't speak specifically on his medical condition. I will say that he's fighting, he's a fighter. The family is in good spirits. We're honestly just taking it minute by minute, hour by hour."

He later released a statement from Hamlin's family that said that they wanted "to express our sincere gratitude for the love and support showed to Damar during this challenging time".

"We are deeply moved by the prayers, kind words, and donations from fans around the country," the family added.

The family statement praised the first responders and medics "who have provided exceptional care to Damar", adding: "We feel so blessed to be part of the Buffalo Bills organisation and to have their support. We also want to thank coach [Zac] Taylor and the Bengals for everything they've done.

"Your generosity and compassion mean the world to us. Please keep Damar in your prayers. We will release updates as soon as we have them."

The 24-year-old Buffalo Bills safety collapsed on the field during Monday's NFL clash against the Cincinnati Bengals, with the incident occurring during the first quarter at the Paycor Stadium.

Hamlin remained down for over 10 minutes as CPR was administered on the field, before he was loaded into a waiting ambulance and transferred to the University of Cincinnati medical facility. He has been described as being in a critical condition.

Speaking to Stats Perform, Dr Benjamin Abella MD, Professor of Emergency Medicine and Director at the Center for Resuscitation Science, said the NFL and organisers for the 2026 men's football World Cup, of which the USA is a co-host. will be constantly working on ways to improve reactions to medical emergencies on the field.

"There are important lessons for professional sports in all of this. We can also mention Grant Wahl, the journalist who died in Qatar recently. Now his situation may have been more complicated," he added.

"But in all of these cases, the presence of CPR-trained individuals, and importantly, the rapid availability of automated external defibrillators is crucial.

"With the World Cup coming to the US in some time, they will have to think very carefully about emergency action plans and the availability of AEDs. I think the NFL continues to address this and think about this, and rightfully so.

"It's quite a challenge when you have a massive venue if a cardiac arrest occurs in the stands, if it occurs on the field, how do you rapidly get a defibrillator and rescue team to the victim? It's not a simple problem.

"But it's something that sports leagues and sports venues need to constantly train for and reinvigorate their protocols for because life-saving opportunities are there. It's all a matter of the logistics and the timing of it."

Dr Abella explained the general public can also be educated on how to swiftly provide assistance when cardiac arrest occurs.

"Cardiac arrest is one of the most time-sensitive diseases in all of medicine, it turns out that the chance of surviving cardiac arrest falls by 10 to 15 per cent for every minute without CPR.

"So, it's a very dramatic and unfortunate condition that requires immediate action. This is especially important for the public to be aware of because everyone can do something, if they see someone collapse in cardiac arrest, they can provide CPR.

"The other key action is the use of an automated external defibrillator AED, which is now present in so many places, gyms, airports, train stations, restaurants.

"Through CPR and the use of AED, survival from cardiac arrest is not guaranteed, but the chance of survival is much improved."

Dr Abella detailed the key steps that will be taken in Hamlin's treatment.

"After initial recovery from cardiac arrest, where his heart is now beating, and he's moving blood, it's still a very tenuous, dangerous time for him," he said.

"In the days following cardiac arrest, there's a race to save the brain and improve organ function. A number of things are done in the hospital, generally in the ICU, and there are really three main things that will be taking place over the next few days.

"One is the use of a treatment modality known as targeted temperature management or TTM, which is an approach of carefully and precisely maintaining certain body temperatures for therapeutic gain. Generally, patients are cooled, and their body temperature is lowered modestly, which has actually been shown to improve brain recovery after cardiac arrest.

"Another key thing that almost certainly is being done is very, very careful management of blood pressure. If the blood pressure falls in a patient after cardiac arrest, and it tends to do so, this can be dangerous, because we need to maintain blood flow to the brain.

"So critical care physicians will be working carefully to monitor and manage his blood pressure with medicines and other things.

"The third important thing is going to be neurologic assessment. This is, I think, the part that's going to be hardest for all of us to watch because it generally takes two, three, four or five days, it takes a while. And we do this through recording of brainwaves, and also through imaging of the brain."