Why did Damar Hamlin go into cardiac arrest during Monday night's NFL game?

Monday night's football game between the Cincinnati Bengals and Buffalo Bills in the NFL was suspended shortly after a player collapsed to the ground and experienced cardiac arrest.

Damar Hamlin, the safety for the Bills, suffered the medical emergency after getting hit in the chest during a tackle during the first quarter.

Right after he was tackled, the 24-year-old stood up to continue playing but suddenly collapsed onto the ground.

Medical personnel quickly attended to Hamlin and found his heart had stopped beating. He was administered CPR, defibrillation, oxygen, and an IV for 10 minutes until his heartbeat was restored.

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As Hamlin was rushed to the hospital, players on both teams were visibly upset leading NFL officials to postpone the game.

Millions of people online sent thoughts and prayers to Hamlin, hoping the 24-year-old would make a full recovery.

But with no known prior health conditions, why did Hamlin suffer cardiac arrest?

People believe Hamlin went into cardiac arrest because the force at which he was hit in the chest disrupted his heart rhythm.

The condition called Commotio Cordis is rare but occurs in athletes that play sports like baseball, hockey, or football.

If a blunt force hits the chest while the heart is at a critical point in its cycle it can cause arrhythmia which can send the heart into cardiac arrest.

Commotio Cordis is not caused by heart disease or underlying conditions, it can happen to anyone.

Although Hamlin's official cause for cardiac arrest was not announced, people online speculated this was the case because it is often seen in sports.

As of Tuesday morning, the Buffalo Bills released a statement that Hamlin was sedated and listed in critical condition.

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