It's Your Week: How Paste BN Sports covered Damar Hamlin and the NFL

A tackle. A stand. A fall. Then silence.

What started as a marquee "Monday Night Football" matchup between the Buffalo Bills and Cincinnati Bengals turned scary in the first quarter. Bills safety Damar Hamlin suffered cardiac arrest after what appeared to be a routine tackle.

I'm Sallee Ann and welcome to Your Week, a newsletter exclusively for Paste BN subscribers.

This week we're talking with our Sports team about how the newsroom has approached covering Hamlin and the NFL.

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How to cover the unimaginable

NFL and breaking news editor Jimmy Hascup said Paste BN Sports was set to collaborate with Gannett media outlets – the Democrat and Chronicle in Rochester, New York, and The Cincinnati Enquirer – for coverage of the big game Monday. It quickly turned into something much bigger.  

"Nothing matters more to us than being respectful with fair and accurate reporting around Hamlin's health – the incident, updates, his family and the NFL community," Hascup said. "Every decision in our Paste BN Sports newsroom has been made with sensitivity, good intentions and thoughtfulness. Is the information or perspective we're providing adding value, and is it appropriate?"

Reporter Chris Bumbaca jumped into action on the news story of Hamlin's injury, and the team continued to publish multiple news files on his condition this week – including the much-hoped-for good news Friday that Hamlin was awake and talked with the Bills.

Paste BN Sports columnists offered smart, nuanced perspectives:

• Mike Freeman wrote that fans and spectators should remember NFL players are human and not just robots playing a violent sport. 
• Jarrett Bell wrote about the NFL making the easy call to suspend the game.
• Nate Davis on the unwavering support the Bills received from the Bengals and their fans. 

"We've worked with other departments in the newsroom to provide health-related explainers and to discuss the mental health effect of seeing trauma play out in a public setting," Hascup said. "While Hamlin's health remains paramount to how we're covering this situation, the on-the-field implications and the playoff standings are an aspect of the story we could not ignore."

Hascup said our coverage will continue to develop as Hamlin recovers and fellow NFL players and personnel process what happened.

More coverage on Damar Hamlin:

• Bills' Sean McDermott, Josh Allen share thoughts on Damar Hamlin: 'You hurt for your brother'
• 'Big relief off of my chest': Tee Higgins pleased about latest Damar Hamlin update
• Nothing has prepared the Bills, NFL for trauma that lingers from Damar Hamlin's collapse
• ESPN's immediate coverage of Damar Hamlin situation done with right tone
• Damar Hamlin, football safety and what we're missing in the 'violent spectacle' debate

Don't miss this

I often close Your Week with a reminder that your subscription supports journalism with impact. There's no better testament to that than our year in review. You can find a full recap of the change our journalism has made across the network in your weekend edition (Psst, you can find that online here). 

Thank you and see you later

Again, I will thank you for your support making our journalism possible. 

This is the last edition I'll be writing as I'm off to a new adventure. It's been an absolute joy connecting you with the Paste BN newsroom. Everyone here has so much heart and a strong sense of service. I'll continue supporting with a subscription and hope you do, too.

Don't worry though, you're in the best hands with a familiar face. Nicole Fallert will be taking over. She's in your inbox every weekday with the Daily Briefing and now will take you deeper each Sunday.