AP Photo/Greg M. Cooper
The Pro Football Hall of Fame announced that it has delayed the announcement of the finalists for its Class of 2023 out of respect for Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin, who suffered a cardiac arrest during Monday night’s game against the Cincinnati Bengals.
The announcement of the 15 modern-era finalists was originally scheduled to take place Tuesday at 8 p.m. on NFL Network.
“The decision to postpone the program for at least 24 hours was made after discussions involving officials with the Hall of Fame, the NFL and the NFL Network,” the release stated.
The announcement of the finalists has been tentatively rescheduled for Wednesday at 8 p.m. ET. However, the release noted that all parties will “re-evaluate the situation Wednesday and determine if the timing is appropriate to proceed with the announcement.”
There were five nominees in their first year of eligibility to be included on the list of 28 modern-era semifinalists: offensive linemen Jahri Evans and Joe Thomas, defensive lineman Dwight Freeney, linebacker James Harrison and defensive back Darrelle Revis.
Hamlin remains in critical condition after he collapsed on the field in the first quarter of Monday night’s game. The Bills announced that the 24-year-old’s heartbeat was “restored on the field and he was transferred to the UC Medical Center for further testing and treatment.”
The game between Buffalo and Cincinnati was suspended, and the NFL announced Tuesday that it will not be resumed this week and no decision made regarding the game’s continuation. The announcement also stated that no changes were made to the Week 18 schedule.
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