The Buffalo Bills defeated the Jacksonville Jaguars in the Wild Card round and are set to play the Denver Broncos today. They finished the regular season 12-5 and are the third-best offense in the league, according to PFSN Offense Impact Metric.
Damar Hamlin is out for the game against the Broncos and is awaiting recovery from his injury. But how did he get there in the first place?
Why Is Damar Hamlin on the Injured Reserve List?
Hamlin has been playing for the Bills since 2021 and got a contract renewal in the 2025 season. He was re-signed to a $2 million, one-year contract in March 2025. But fate played its toll on Oct. 11, 2025, when Hamlin was placed on the injured reserve list for a pectoral injury.
The Bills opened his 21-day practice window on Jan. 7, and with limited practice, he seems to be doing well. HC Sean McDermott said to NFL Network’s Sydney Ciano that he “Seems in good spirits, but medically, it’s obviously moving in the right direction.”
This season has seen some of the fewest appearances in his career. Out of all the seasons he has played, only two have seen him appear in fewer than 14 games. The other was the infamous 2023 incident.
Hamlin’s Inspirational Tale of Survival From 2023
On Jan. 2, 2023, the Bills faced the Cincinnati Bengals in a Monday Night Football game. While Tee Higgins was rushing forward with the ball, Hamlin attempted to stop him, and the Bengals receiver put his shoulder down on Hamlin’s chest (which is legal). But there was a problem: the Bills’ safety’s feet were not on stable ground.
This shock snapped his head back, but he rolled and tackled Higgins with the momentum he had just received. Hamlin was then seen standing with his left foot and shuffling for a few seconds before suddenly collapsing to the ground.
It was a Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA) due to a rare condition known as Commotio Cordis. In this condition, a blunt, non-penetrating trauma to the chest wall at a precise moment in the cardiac cycle disrupts the electrical signal responsible for causing a heartbeat. In literal terms, Hamlin’s heart skipped a beat, which could have cost him dearly.
The proficient medical attention and CPR saved his life that day, and he has been unstoppable ever since. However, the question remains: Will the Bills plan to keep him in action for the 2026 season?
Buffalo Bills’ Stats and Insights for Divisional Round
Playoff:Â Josh Allen recorded his first career postseason fourth-quarter comeback against the Jaguars. He has 17 during the regular season in his career, including four this season.
​Team: The Buffalo Bills are 0-5 when scoring 20 points or fewer, while being 13-0 when scoring more than 20, including the Wild Card win.
QB: Josh Allen’s PFSN’s Quarterback Impact Metric (QBi) score of 83.4 (B) against the Jacksonville Jaguars was the fourth-best of his postseason career, and marked the fourth time he posted the highest QBi in the NFL during a Wild Card or Divisional Round week.
OFF: Against the Jaguars, James Cook was held to 46 yards on 15 rushes. Excluding Week 18, when he had only two carries, the Wild Card game marked his second-lowest rushing yardage total in any game this season, with the lowest being 44 yards in Week 1 against the Baltimore Ravens.
DEF:Â The 14 points allowed to the Jaguars in the fourth quarter tied for the most points Buffalo has allowed in any fourth quarter during this season.
