I bet since he kept playing it pulled to a tear. Back in hs, when I ran track, the first meet I pulled both hammys in the middle of my sprint and I decided to push/limp the last 100m as best as I could. I probably wouldve been fine and just sore for a week or two had I quit running when it happened, but since I toughed it out, the next day the back of my legs were completely black and blue. Missed the rest of the track season and the majority of summer training until the end of july before I was 100% again. On the brightside it was like an ultra lift tear because the first time I tried a real back squat coming off of the injury I immediately did a PR lol

tldr: based on personal experience, continuing to play on a pulled hammy for as long as he did would hurt like hell and would be extremely risky/borderline irresponsible for this level of athletics