The Kansas City Chiefs and Las Vegas Raiders are slated to be the first teams to play in a game on Saturday following the on-field cardiac arrest of Buffalo safety Damar Hamlin on Monday night.
Usually, the last game of the regular season has plenty of playoff implications, and it certainly does for the Chiefs. But all of that seems secondary now, Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes said Wednesday.
“I think it affects everyone in this league in a way where it really puts things in perspective,” Mahomes said. “We go out there every week, and I’m not going to say we take it for granted, but you go out there and you play a game that you love, and you just enjoy it. You don’t think about things like that happening. And whenever something like this happens, I think it impacts everybody.
“Obviously my prayers are with Damar, his family, the Buffalo Bills, the Bengals, everyone that was in attendance at the game. But it sent chills through my body when I was watching it. And all I did was sit there and pray for him because that’s all you can do when you feel like you can’t help. I’ve been watching updates just like everybody and trying to make sure that, first off, that Damar is healthy, and he can get back because at the end of the day, we’re people. We’re not just players.”
Chiefs coach Andy Reid, like Mahomes, was watching the Bills-Bengals game live when Hamlin fell to the turf early in the first quarter.
“We’re all pulling for Damar as he goes forward here,” Reid said. “We had a team prayer for him yesterday with our team Chaplin thinking any bit of extra we can get to support him, we’re trying to do from afar. Our prayers are also with his family.”
While the Chiefs are trying to prepare for Saturday’s game somewhat business as usual, Mahomes acknowledged the Hamlin situation is still on his mind and will continue to be.
“All I can do is come in here and give everything I have in the building and then when I go home, appreciate my family,” Mahomes said. “So I know there’s a job to do and you have to go in there and do it. But at the end of the day you just want to make sure he’s all right because that’s what’s most important.”
HARDMAN ACTIVATED FROM INJURED RESERVE
The Chiefs activated wide receiver Mecole Hardman from injured reserve Wednesday. Hardman has missed the last eight games with a stomach/abdominal issue.
“Mecole did some good work today,” Reid said. “We’re just going to see how he feels tomorrow. It’s day by day. He’s trying his hardest to get back in here.”
Harrison Butker missed Wednesday’s practice with back spasms. Reid said they could bring in another kicker for depth purposes but added he has “full trust” in Butker.
