Damar Hamlin continues to make steady progress as he recovers from his cardiac arrest even as the Buffalo Bills safety remains in a critical condition.

The 24-year-old collapsed after colliding with wide receiver Tee Higgins during Monday's NFL encounter with the Cincinnati Bengals, and had to be resuscitated on the field.

Fears for the 2021 sixth-round pick have been calmed by regular updates, revealing he is breathing unaided and has spoken with team-mates.

The Bills offered another update on Saturday, confirming Hamlin continues to show improvement.

"Per the physicians at UC Medical Center, Damar is making continued progress in his recovery yet remains in critical condition," a Bills statement read.

"He continues to breathe on his own and his neurological function is excellent."

The NFL confirmed the Bengals-Bills match would not be resumed after it was originally suspended and then postponed following Hamlin's exit at Paul Brown Stadium.

Buffalo, who are first in the AFC East with a 12-3 record, head into their final regular match of the season against the New England Patriots on Sunday, with plans approved by owners for playoff changes.

NFL owners voted on Friday to approve a possible change to this year’s playoff format, allowing for a neutral-site AFC championship game if the participants were affected by Monday's cancelled game betweeen the Buffalo Bills and Cincinnati Bengals.

The ruling comes a day after the proposed changes were approved by the league's competition committee.

Monday's game between the Bills and Bengals was suspended after Bills safety Damar Hamlin went into cardiac arrest on the field and needed to be resuscitated, shocking the sporting world and leaving the NFL with questions about how to proceed.

On Thursday, the NFL said it would not finish the game and officially ruled it as a no contest, leaving the Bills and Bengals – both AFC contenders – with one fewer game played than the rest of the league.

If Cincinnati or Buffalo qualify for the AFC Championship game as the road team and could have been the home team with one more win, this new provision would move the game to a neutral site.

The rule also allows for a coin flip to decide the host of a potential Wild Card round game between the Bengals (11-4) and Baltimore Ravens (10-6) if the Ravens win the matchup between the teams in the regular-season finale on Sunday.

The new procedures are not without controversy and have already received some criticism from fans of the Kansas City Chiefs (13-3), who can secure the AFC's top seed and first-round bye with a Week 18 win over the Las Vegas Raiders. There are scenarios, however, in which the Chiefs would lose the right to host an AFC title game at Arrowhead Stadium against the Bills (12-3).

The league's policy manual says that "a team's standing in its division or in its conference” is to be decided by winning percentage in the case of a disparity in games played, but the league deemed Monday's cancellation extraordinary enough to warrant a new ruling.

It is the first time since 1935 that NFL teams will have played different numbers of games in a season, leaving no modern precedent on which the league could lean.

While the NFL has been tweaking its playoff format, Hamlin has gradually made progress during his four days at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center.

Hamlin, whose heart was re-started twice Monday, is now able to breathe on his own and had his breathing tube removed overnight. The 24-year-old even joined his team-mates briefly on a video call Friday with a simple message: “Love you boys.”

In a Friday statement, the Bills said Hamlin's "neurologic function remains intact and he has been able to talk to his family and care team."

Damar Hamlin can breathe without assistance and is improving "remarkably" after his cardiac arrest, with the Buffalo Bills revealing he has already spoken to his team-mates.

The latest uplifting development arrived on Friday as Hamlin continues his recovery at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center (UCMC), where he was taken on Monday after collapsing mid-game against the Cincinnati Bengals.

Hamlin joined the Bills' Friday team meeting on FaceTime and told the group: "Love you boys."

UCMC's Dr Timothy Pritts spoke on Thursday of how Hamlin had "won the game of life" by surviving, after it was revealed the safety wanted to know whether the Bills had won against the Bengals.

As it happens, that game was abandoned and will not resume, with the NFL recognising its outcome would not impact any team's qualification or elimination from the postseason.

Hamlin's future in the NFL is unclear for now, with doctors saying on Thursday it was too soon to talk about the prospect of him playing again, but the 24-year-old is making significant day-by-day progress in hospital.

The Bills said in a statement: "Per the physicians at UCMC, Damar's breathing tube was removed overnight. He continues to progress remarkably in his recovery.

"His neurologic function remains intact and he has been able to talk to his family and care team.

"Damar Hamlin FaceTimed into our team meeting today to talk to players and coaches.

"What he said to the team: 'Love you boys.'"

Reports said Hamlin has also spoken individually to a number of team-mates, yet another encouraging sign.

It had been revealed on Thursday he was able to communicate by writing notes, and to be speaking and breathing without a tube a day later is another major step towards being discharged.

Hamlin collapsed after a collision with wide receiver Tee Higgins and had to be resuscitated on the field.

He received "textbook" medical attention at the stadium, Pritts' colleague Dr William A. Knight said.

The NFL has confirmed the suspended Cincinnati Bengals-Buffalo Bills' Week 17 game will not resume, with teams to consider a neutral side for the AFC Championship game.

The Bengals-Bills game was suspended after Damar Hamlin collapsed during the first quarter due to a cardiac arrest. Hamlin was resuscitated on the field, then rushed to the University of Cincinnati Medical Center, where he has remained in intensive care, but encouragingly has made "substantial progress" in the past 24 hours.

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell explained the decision had "no perfect solution", which comes ahead of the final regular season round of fixtures with significant playoff implications, and was based on three key factors.

Goodell stressed that the game's cancellation would not impact any team's qualification or elimination from the postseason, while he was eager to have the playoff scenario clarified for all sides ahead of Week 18. He added that delaying the playoffs one week to play the game was unfair on all other clubs, which guided their decision-making.

The statement revealed that NFL team owners will attend a Special League Meeting on Friday to consider a resolution recommended by the Competition Committee to have the AFC Championship game played at a neutral site if the participating teams could both have mathematically been the No.1 seed if they had played an equal number of games.

That decision affects the Bills (12-3) and Bengals (11-4) along with the Kansas City Chiefs (13-3). The NFL stated three scenarios whereby the AFC Championship game being played on a neutral site would come into effect.

- If Buffalo and Kansas City both win or tie, a Bills-Chiefs championship game will be at a neutral site.

- If Buffalo and Kansas City both lose and Baltimore wins or ties, a Bills-Chiefs championship game will be at a neutral site.

- If Buffalo and Kansas City both lose and Cincinnati wins, a Bills or Bengals v Chiefs championship game will be at a neutral site.

The Baltimore Ravens (10-6) may also be impacted if they win against the Bengals in Week 18, leading to a match-up in an AFC Wild Card game, with the site to be determined by coin flip.

"As we considered the football schedule, our principles have been to limit disruption across the league and minimise competitive inequities," Goodell said in the statement.

He added: "This has been a very difficult week. We continue to focus on the recovery of Damar Hamlin and are encouraged by the improvements in his condition as well as the tremendous outpouring of support and care for Damar and his family from across the country.

"We are also incredibly appreciative of the amazing work of the medical personnel and commend each and every one of them."

Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen is adamant his side will be ready to take the field on Sunday against the New England Patriots in honour of Damar Hamlin's request.

The Bills returned to practice on Thursday for the first time since Monday's game against the Cincinnati Bengals was suspended mid-game after Hamlin collapsed having suffered a cardiac arrest on the field.

Hamlin had to be resuscitated on the field and has been in intensive care in hospital in a critical condition since, but the Bills provided a medical update stating he was showing "remarkable improvement" on Thursday.

Hamlin's father Mario spoke to the Bills players and insisted that he and his son want them to play on Sunday.

"He didn't tell us, he demanded us," Allen told reporters. "You can't not honour his request to go out there and charge forward to the best of our abilities.

"Obviously, we'll be playing with less heavy hearts now, knowing that today's news was a lot of tears of joy. To know that's what he wants and that's what his dad wants, I think guys are excited to get out there."

Allen said "I do" when asked if he believed the Bills' players would be ready to take to the field on Sunday as scheduled.

"For every person it's going to be a little different. Putting that helmet back on today was really good for our team to go through that progress," Allen said.

"Some people are going to be changed forever after being on that field and feeling those emotions. The updates that we keep getting on Damar are lifting our spirits. Leaning on each other. We've had some open, honest and deep talks.

"We've had some unbelievable embraces as men, just hugging somebody, you need every bit of it. The fact we keep hearing good news about Damar keeps pushing us forward."

Allen conceded it would be difficult not to let the Hamlin situation enter his mind when they enter the field on Sunday, but insisted they had to shut it out.

"It's hard not to let it creep into your mind," he said. "We've been reassured this is the freakiest of freak accidents.

"The mental aspect of it, going out on that field, if you have that thought, that's putting yourself at risk even more.

"Coach [Sean McDermott] has done a great job making sure guys understand that and that mentally you need to be bought into.

"As humans, it's hard not to feel that way, but just to know the track record of the league. Obviously, there's injuries, that's part of sport and this is the worst possible case you can think of."

Buffalo Bills head coach Sean McDermott believes assistant trainer Denny Kellington is the "real hero" after the cardiac arrest of Damar Hamlin on Monday.

The Bills' safety collapsed on the field following a hit on Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins and Kellington gave Hamlin life-saving CPR before he was taken to hospital.

Doctors shared a significant update on Thursday, stating the 24-year-old had "won the game of life" in further explanation of a Bills statement that declared Hamlin to be "neurologically intact".

The quick actions of Kellington to administer CPR prevented a tragedy and McDermott took a moment to hail his actions in the team's first media availability since Hamlin's collapse.

"To give it context, Denny is one of our assistant trainers. Just like our team, their team go through mock exercises for these sorts of things, but we're not around for those. As they say, practice pays off," he told reporters.

"For an assistant to find himself in that position and take charge and step up like he did, it's nothing short of amazing.

"The courage that took, you talk about a real leader and a real hero, for saving Damar's life. I admire his strength."

The Bills are unlikely to complete the suspended Week 17 clash against the Bengals but are back in action this weekend against the New England Patriots as the regular season comes to a close.

Playing so soon after such a traumatic event will be a difficult scenario, but McDermott said Hamlin's father, Mario, had told them it is what his son would have wanted.

"I feel strongly that as his dad Mario had mentioned to us, that this is what Damar would have wanted. We owe that to Damar and to his family," he added.

The Bills sit 12-3 for the season, already clinching the AFC East, but have an outside chance of securing the No. 1 seed in Sunday's finale, with the NFL's decision on the suspended Bengals game pending too.

Damar Hamlin "won the game of life" when he survived an on-field cardiac arrest in the Buffalo Bills' game against the Cincinnati Bengals, according to a doctor treating the safety.

Dr Timothy Pritts said Hamlin still needed assistance with his breathing, and the 24-year-old remains in intensive care at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center.

However, he can communicate by writing and Pritts expanded on what the Bills meant when they described Hamlin as "neurologically intact".

"His first note was, 'Did we win?'," Pritts said.

"It's not only that the lights are on. We know that he's home. All the cylinders are firing right in his brain."

Hamlin collapsed after a collision with wide receiver Tee Higgins and had to be resuscitated on the field, before the game was abandoned.

He received "textbook" medical attention at the stadium, Pritts' colleague Dr William A. Knight said.

Pritts explained: "He's made substantial progress. It appears his neurological condition and function is intact. We are very proud to report that, very happy for him and his family and the Buffalo Bills organisation."

Hamlin is receiving extensive medical attention, but Pritts said: "This marks a really good turning point in his ongoing care."

Pritts added: "To paraphrase one of our partners, when he asked, 'Did we win?', the answer is, 'Yes, Damar, you won. You won the game of life.' That's probably the most important thing out of this.

"We really need to keep him at the centre of everything else that's going on. We really want to ensure a good outcome for him."

The hope is that Hamlin is able to get back to the state of health in which he began Monday's game, but there will be no discussions about returning to football for the immediate future.

Knight said: "It's entirely too early to have that conversation. Our focus is on getting him better, getting him extubated and on the road to recovery."

Pritts said Hamlin had been able to "follow commands", as it was confirmed the NFL safety could move his hands and feet.

Although Hamlin has a breathing tube and cannot speak, the positivity from his doctors pointed towards a positive outcome, although it was said he has "many steps" still ahead of him.

Earlier on Thursday, the Bills said in a statement: "Per the physicians caring for Damar Hamlin at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center, Damar has shown remarkable improvement over the past 24 hours.

"While still critically ill, he has demonstrated that he appears to be neurologically intact. His lungs continue to heal and he is making steady progress.

"We are grateful for the love and support we have received."

The NFL has been in shock this week, following the terrible scenes in Monday's game between the Cincinnati Bengals and the Buffalo Bills.

Damar Hamlin's cardiac arrest on the field has sent shockwaves through the sport, though it appears the 24-year-old is making progress in his recovery.

While Hamlin's health remains the league's priority over the rescheduling of that game from Week 17, there is also focus on the final round of fixtures.

There's plenty still be decided in Week 18, and Stats Perform has used Opta data to preview some of the key matchups.

SATURDAY (all times EST)

Chiefs (13-3) at Raiders (6-10) - 4:30pm

With the Bills and the Bengals having yet to finish the game that was rightly suspended on Monday, the AFC picture is not entirely clear. As things stand, a Kansas City Chiefs win in Las Vegas would mean they remain in with a chance of claiming the top seed, pending a decision on the Bengals-Bills game and the outcome of Buffalo's Week 18 clash against the New England Patriots.

The Chiefs have scored 28 or more points in nine consecutive games against the Raiders. The only longer streak of such games against a single opponent in NFL history is 10 by the Los Angeles Rams against the Green Bay Packers, and that came way back in 1949 to 1953. 

Jerick McKinnon caught two touchdowns in Kansas City's 27-24 win over the Denver Broncos and has seven touchdown catches in the Chiefs' last five games. That is the most receiving touchdowns by a running back over a span of five team games in the Super Bowl era. 

The Chiefs have scored 264 points on the road this season, averaging 33.0 points per game. If they hit their average on Saturday, they will finish with the third-most road points in a single season in NFL history, behind only the 2007 New England Patriots (314) and their own effort in 2018 (306).

Patrick Mahomes has 5,000 passing yards (5,048) and 250 rushing yards (329) in a single season for the second time in his career, also doing so in 2018.

Titans (7-9) at Jaguars (8-8) - 8:15pm

It will be winner-take-all in the AFC South when the Jacksonville Jaguars and the Tennessee Titans face off. The victor will clinch the division and become the fourth seed in the playoffs. While Jacksonville would still be able to make the postseason via a wild card should they lose, Tennessee must win if they are to avoid elimination.

The Jaguars are looking to sweep the season series with the Titans for the first time since 2005. The only other NFL teams that have gone that long since they last swept a current divisional opponent are the Cleveland Browns, who last swept the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1988, and New York Jets, who last swept the Patriots in 2000 (the Browns also have a chance to end their drought this week).

Jacksonville could become the first team in NFL history to make the playoffs immediately following back-to-back 14-loss seasons.

Meanwhile, the Titans are looking to avoid joining the 1994 Eagles as the only teams in league history to have at least seven wins before ending the season on a seven-game game losing streak.

SUNDAY

Giants (9-6-1) at Eagles (13-3) - 4:25pm

The Philadelphia Eagles have been the team to beat in the NFC all season, yet after successive defeats in the absence of Jalen Hurts, they now need a win to clinch the top seed.

Should they lose to the New York Giants, both the Dallas Cowboys and the San Francisco 49ers will have to suffer defeats in order for the Eagles to be guaranteed home advantage in the playoffs.

The omens are good for the Eagles, who have won eight straight home games against the Giants, tied for the second-longest home win streak against a single opponent in team history. It trails only their active 10-game home win streak against the Steelers that started in 1966. 

A win against the Eagles would give the Giants 10 wins after having just four last season. It would be the first time New York earned double-digit wins in a season after having four or fewer wins since doing so in 1933 (11 wins after a 4-6 record in 1932).

Lions (8-8) @ Packers (8-8) - 8.20pm

Given the NFC East will get two of the conference's three wild cards, matters are relatively simple for the Detroit Lions and the Green Bay Packers. A Packers victory sends them through to the playoffs, while Detroit need to win and hope the Los Angeles Rams defeat the Seattle Seahawks.

The Packers are coming off a 41-17 win over the Vikings in which they had four takeaways and no giveaways. Green Bay are now 50-0-1 in the Super Bowl era (including playoffs) with a turnover margin of +4 or better in a game.

Green Bay's record at home against the Lions is 61-27-4, the most home wins by any team against a single opponent.

With another win, Aaron Rodgers would be the first QB in NFL history to have two seasons where his team was multiple games under .500 immediately before going on a five-or-greater game winning streak to end the regular season. 

But the Lions have scored at least 20 points while throwing no interceptions in eight straight games, tied for the longest streak in NFL history (regular season) with the 2005 Broncos, 2010 Patriots and 2018-19 Ravens.

Elsewhere...

New England will clinch a playoff spot should they defeat the Bills, who are of course recovering from that incident involving Hamlin. The Bills have won their last two games against the Patriots and are looking for three straight wins in the series for the first time since 1999-2000.

The Miami Dolphins have lost five in a row but can make the playoffs should they beat the Jets. The matchup is perfectly balanced all-time at 56 wins apiece with one tie entering this game. 

A run of five wins from six games has put the Steelers in playoff contention. They will have to beat the Browns and need results elsewhere go their way. Cleveland won against the Steelers in Week 3 this season. The Browns have not won multiple games against Pittsburgh in a season since the 1988 season.

The 49ers can still claim the top seed in the NFC by beating the Arizona Cardinals. San Francisco beat Las Vegas in Week 17, 37-34, despite trailing by 10 points in the third quarter. It was the Niners' second-largest comeback victory in the second half under Kyle Shanahan.

It has been a terrible season for the Rams (5-11), but they are 7-3 in their last 10 games against Seattle. The Seahawks got a 27-23 win in Inglewood in Week 13, the closest game between these teams since a 30-29 Seahawks win in Week 5, 2019. 

Damar Hamlin is showing "remarkable improvement" in hospital following the cardiac arrest he suffered in Monday's game between the Buffalo Bills and Cincinnati Bengals.

The Bills issued a medical update on Thursday, in which it was also confirmed 24-year-old safety Hamlin "appears to be neurologically intact".

He remains in intensive care and in a critical condition, but a second consecutive day of positive news about Hamlin's condition offered hope of a strong recovery.

Hamlin collapsed after a collision with wide receiver Tee Higgins and had to be resuscitated on the field, before the game was abandoned.

He was rushed to the University of Cincinnati Medical Center, where he has been treated since.

NFL Network reporter Ian Rapoport wrote on Twitter that Hamlin "opened his eyes last night and is responsive" and has been "gripping the hands of those close to him".

The Bills said in a statement: "Per the physicians caring for Damar Hamlin at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center, Damar has shown remarkable improvement over the past 24 hours.

"While still critically ill, he has demonstrated that he appears to be neurologically intact. His lungs continue to heal and he is making steady progress.

"We are grateful for the love and support we have received."

The NFL has not yet made a decision on when, how or if the Buffalo Bills' game against the Cincinnati Bengals will be completed while "everything is being considered".

Monday's game was postponed after Bills safety Damar Hamlin collapsed in the first quarter.

Hamlin had collided with Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins and suffered a cardiac arrest. He was resuscitated on the field, then rushed to the University of Cincinnati Medical Center.

The Bills player has remained in hospital in critical condition, but the NFL has started to look at potential resolutions for the suspended game.

Troy Vincent, executive vice president of football operations for the NFL, ran through various considerations in a conference call with reporters on Wednesday.

While looking at all options, Vincent said the league would be guided by Bills head coach Sean McDermott.

"My concern is making sure the men have what they need to function," Vincent added.

Sean McDermott set the tone for the response to Damar Hamlin's cardiac arrest, according to Cincinnati Bengals coach Zac Taylor.

Buffalo Bills safety Hamlin collapsed during the first quarter of Monday's game against the Bengals following a collision with wide receiver Tee Higgins.

Hamlin suffered a cardiac arrest and was resuscitated on the field, before being rushed to the University of Cincinnati Medical Center, where he has remained in critical condition.

An unprecedented incident saw the NFL community rally around Hamlin, although the procedure in the immediate aftermath was understandably unclear.

That was where Bills coach McDermott came in, Taylor has revealed, with his focus on supporting Hamlin as the game was suspended.

"I always knew Sean. We've never worked together, never had a meal together, but I had respect for him," Taylor said.

"Seeing the way he led his team deepened that respect for him and verified everything I thought he was about as a man."

He added: "I don't want to disclose any of the private conversations Sean and I had except this.

"When I got over there, the first thing he said was, 'I need to be at the hospital with Damar, I shouldn't be coaching this game'. That to me provides all the clarity.

"'Unprecedented' is the word that gets thrown around a lot in this situation, because that's what it is. In that moment, he really showed who he was.

"All his focus was just on Damar and being there for him, being there for his family, at the hospital.

"At that point, everything trended in the direction it needed to trend. The right decisions were made.

"I really felt Sean McDermott led in that moment. He was there for his players, he processed the right way, which was incredibly difficult, and really helped us get to the solution we needed to get to."

Damar Hamlin remains in intensive care in critical condition but with "signs of improvement" noted on Tuesday and overnight into Wednesday, the Buffalo Bills have said.

Hamlin collapsed during the first quarter of Monday's game between the Bills and the Bengals in Cincinnati following a collision with wide receiver Tee Higgins.

The safety suffered a cardiac arrest and was resuscitated on the field.

He was rushed to the University of Cincinnati Medical Center, where he is said to have since been sedated on a ventilator.

As the NFL world has rallied around Hamlin, there have been positive updates from Hamlin's family regarding the 24-year-old's condition.

And the Bills offered more encouraging news on Wednesday in a post on their Twitter account.

It read: "Damar remains in the ICU in critical condition with signs of improvement noted yesterday [Tuesday] and overnight.

"He is expected to remain under intensive care as his health care team continues to monitor and treat him."

Buffalo Bills offensive lineman Dion Dawkins said the entire team is "devastated" after witnessing team-mate Damar Hamlin suffer a cardiac arrest during Monday's game against the Cincinnati Bengals.

Hamlin was administered emergency CPR on the field before being loaded into an ambulance and rushed to hospital, with the game being suspended halfway through the first quarter.

The Bills confirmed he is currently sedated and in a critical condition, while Hamlin's uncle Dorrian Glenn told NFL Network that his nephew is on a ventilator.

Speaking to CNN, Dawkins reflected on the frightening moment when he realised this was not a normal situation.

"I seen Tre [Tre’Davious White] turn around, I seen Dane [Jackson] sprint over towards him," he said. 

"You see the medical staff doing their job, when things like this are going on and they’re waving really fast and calling for the elite medical staff, that’s when we realised something is really really wrong.

"In that moment you kind of just realise you really can’t take anything for granted. It’s just a drastic state… you’re thinking 'what can I do?' 

"It immediately breaks you down into prayer, whether you’re a believer or not. In that moment you kind of just have to be vulnerable."

He went on to discuss the risks each player takes every time they step on the field.

"All of us out there, we’re giving our lives to this game," he said. "Not one second of our life is promised, this play has shown this. 

"This play has taken a 24-year-old man to his knee and he’s fighting. This is real life. Football is real, it takes 100 percent to play this game. He gives it his all and he’s still giving it his all to this second.

"Damar is a fighter and he’s going to keep fighting. He’s gonna make it and he’s going to just keep pushing."

He added: "We are all devastated, it’s a shock to all of us. It’s a dramatically unique thing that has happened. 

"We’re all going through it together. We’re all handling it in different ways."

Damar Hamlin remains in critical condition after suffering a cardiac arrest during Monday's game between the Buffalo Bills and the Cincinnati Bengals, which the NFL says will not resume this week.

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."

Cincinnati Bengals owner Mike Brown called for unity after Damar Hamlin's on-field cardiac arrest on Monday, while also praising the "extraordinary" emergency response.

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."