One of the most traumatic weeks in NFL history ended much as it began: With fans tailgating and players clashing in highly anticipated football games filled with touchdowns and bone-crunching hits.
In between, the league and the millions of fans grappled with their addiction to football five days after Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin collapsed onto the field during a game in Cincinnati and went into cardiac arrest — a terrifying scene that stretched for 10 minutes as medical personnel repeatedly compressed his chest and teammates and opponents wept.
The NFL has been thrust into many crises, including after the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, and Hurricane Katrina, which forced the Saints to abandon New Orleans. But the league has never had to grapple with the sight of doctors and paramedics trying to save a player’s life on the field during a prime time game with millions of people watching.