Damar Hamlin broke down watching himself come back from the brink of death. The Buffalo Bills safety just got his first look at the documentary chronicling his cardiac arrest and recovery, and the emotions hit him harder than any tackle he’s ever made.
Hamlin made national headlines in January 2023 when he suffered cardiac arrest on the field at Paycor Stadium. This led to the postponement and eventual cancellation of the game between the Buffalo Bills and Cincinnati Bengals. It marked the first time since the players’ strike in 1987 that a regular-season game had been canceled.
What Did Damar Hamlin Say About His Documentary Experience?
The incident had unprecedented effects on the NFL schedule. The Bills and Bengals each played just 16 games, while the rest of the league played 17 games, marking the first time since 1935 that each team did not play the same amount of regular season games.
The following season, Hamlin returned to the field, appearing in five games, mostly on special teams. He played a much bigger role in Buffalo’s defense in 2024, starting all 14 games in which he appeared. The safety recorded 89 total tackles, 62 solo tackles, two tackles for loss, two interceptions, one fumble recovery, and five passes defended.
There is currently a documentary in the works on Hamlin’s progress after the life-threatening incident. He shared an emotional reaction after watching the first final cut.
Hamlin’s recovery has been inspirational to football fans across the world. He recently shared his reaction after getting a first look at the documentary based on the incident that nearly took his life and his road back to performing at a high level on the field. The Bills’ safety took to X on Thursday, tweeting:
“Just watched the first final cut of my documentary.. cried 90 times 😭😭 Can’t wait for the world to see this thing!! Made so much progress in 2.5 years that it was humbling to relive some of the craziest moments of my life… wow”
Just watched the first final cut of my documentary.. cried 90 times 😭😭 Can’t wait for the world to see this thing!! Made so much progress in 2.5 years that it was humbling to relive some of the craziest moments of my life… wow
— 𝐃𝐚𝐦𝐚𝐫 𝐇𝐚𝐦𝐥𝐢𝐧 (@HamlinIsland) July 16, 2025
The documentary is titled “Did We Win,” referencing one of the first questions Hamlin asked from his hospital bed after waking up from a medically induced coma. University of Cincinnati Medical Center physician Dr. Timothy Pritts told him that he won the game of life.
“Did We Win” is directed by Clay Tweel and produced by Skydance Sports and NFL Films. The Bills safety remained in the hospital for nine days after the incident and spent the following six months in recovery.
