Some Bengals discussed not playing Week 18 vs. Ravens

The Bengals game against the Bills was postponed after the horrific Damar Hamlin injury. Joe Burrow said some of the team discussed postponing Week 18 too.

For someone who wasn’t on the field for the Buffalo Bills vs. Cincinnati Bengals game on Monday Night Football, it’s impossible to comprehend the traumatic experience they endured as Bills defensive back Damar Hamlin collapsed on the field after suffering cardiac arrest following a play.

The game was postponed after being stopped following that injury and news came out the day after that the contest would not be resumed this week.

While we still await an official announcement on what will happen regarding that game, according to Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow, some of his Cincinnati teammates had “side discussions” about not playing on Sunday in Week 18 against the Ravens.

Burrow clarified that it was not the entire team having this discussion but that the locker room would likely be split on the idea. He added that he wants to play but is understanding of the other side.

Joe Burrow says some Bengals discussed not playing Sunday vs. Ravens

Much focus has rightfully been place on the health and recovery of Hamlin in the wake of the terrifying on-field incident. At the same time, though, Aaron Rodgers and many others have discussed the mental health implication of the players for both the Bills and Bengals to see one of their peers suffer such a serious incident on the field.

Thus, it’s completely understandable why some of the Cincinnati players would not be fully recovered from Monday night mentally in order to play another football game on Sunday.

It still seems as if nothing will change about the Bengals playing the Ravens in Week 18, but it’s another instance of the wide-reaching effect that the Hamlin injury has had on the NFL as a whole, but specifically the teams that were on the field in Cincinnati.