On Monday, Chiefs fans had their eyes glued to their televisions as the Buffalo Bills and Cincinnati Bengals battled to determine the fate of Kansas City’s playoff berth.

About halfway through the first quarter, any thoughts of the playoffs, or football, became irrelevant in the wake of one of the NFL’s most harrowing moments.

Instead, it was clear that the only fate that mattered was that of Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin, the young second-year player who remains in critical condition after suffering cardiac arrest on the field.

After making a tackle following a catch by catcher Tee Higgins, Hamlin stood up briefly before falling to the turf.

Spectators watched as the players’ expressions went from confusion to horror as the situation quickly turned into an emergency. It was a moment that caught everyone, including many Chiefs players watching the game, off guard.

A stunned silence filled the stadium as chest compressions and defibrillation were performed on Hamlin.

The 24-year-old was on the turf for 16 minutes before being lifted onto a stretcher and into an ambulance. Other Bills players gathered around Hamlin on the field and knelt in prayer.

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After the game was temporarily suspended, it was postponed entirely as shaken players from both teams gathered to walk off the field in solidarity.

While the league ultimately supported the move, it was a decision that many, including Chiefs defensive tackle Khalen Saunders, believed took too long in the NFL.

The incident was something the NFL and most professional sports had never seen before. On Tuesday, the Kansas City Chiefs organization canceled its scheduled media availability in the wake of the incident.

Immediately, the country rallied. Less than an hour after the medical emergency, fans across the United States, including numerous Chiefs fans, worked together to donate more than $700,000 to Hamlin’s foundation. As of Tuesday, donations were approaching $5 million.

The Bills provided an update shortly before 1:30 p.m. Tuesday afternoon, saying Hamlin spent the night in the intensive care unit at UC Medical Center and remains in critical condition.

In an unprecedented move of solidarity, all 32 NFL teams changed their social media profiles to images of the 24-year-old’s jersey.

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Damar Hamlin’s family shared a statement Tuesday, thanking first responders, medical personnel, both teams and fans for their support.

“On behalf of our family, we want to express our sincere gratitude for the love and support shown to Damar during this difficult time. We are deeply touched by the prayers, kind words and donations from supporters across the country,” the family . said in a statement provided by Hamlin’s agent and friend Jordon Rooney.

Other Kansas City figures also took to social media to continue the support.

The Hamlin family thanked the first responders and staff at UC Medical Center for providing outstanding care to Hamlin.

What will happen next is unclear. Only one thing is certain, nothing matters more than increasing the health, family, friends, and colleagues of #3.