Damar Hamlin’s family thank first responders who did CPR on him after he collapsed mid-game

The family of injured NFL player Damar Hamlin has thanked first responders after the Buffalo Bills star suffered a cardiac arrest in the middle of a game.

Hamlin was involved in what looked like a routine tackle on Bengals wide-receiver Tee Higgins during the clash between Buffalo and Cincinnati.

While he got off the ground following the tackle, he collapsed in a heap and required urgent medical attention.

Emergency services rushed onto the field and started doing CPR while his devastated teammates and mother watched on in horror.

He was eventually taken to hospital, where he remains in a critical condition.

"On behalf of our family, we want to express our sincere gratitude for the love and support shown to Damar during this challenging time," the Hamlin family said in a statement.

"We are deeply moved by the prayers, kind words and donations from fans around the country.

"We also want to acknowledge the dedicated first responders and healthcare professionals at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center who have provided exceptional care to Damar.

"We feel so blessed to be part of the Buffalo Bulls organization and to have their support. We also want to thank Coach Taylor and the Bengals for everything they’ve done.

"Your generosity and compassion mean the world to us. Please keep Damar in your prayers."

The Buffalo Bills are similarly thankful for the first responders as well as all the fans who have sent kind messages to Hamlin and his family since the shocking incident.

"Damar Hamlin spent last night in the intensive care unit and remains there today in critical condition at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center," the club wrote on social media.

"We are grateful and thankful for the outpouring of support we have received thus far."

People have been very quick to dig deep into their pockets to help the NFL star since his cardiac arrest.

Donations to Hamlin’s GoFundMe fundraising page for a toy drive charity have flooded in over the past 24 hours.

It quickly surpassed its USD$2,500 (AUD$3,708, £2,085) goal with an incredible total of USD$5.12 million at the time of writing.

You can donate to Hamlin's GoFundMe here.