Over two years ago, on January 2, 2023, during a Monday Night Football game between the Buffalo Bills and the Cincinnati Bengals, Bills safety Damar Hamlin made a tackle and almost never got up again. His story is now an example of perseverance, not just for football fans, but for everyone around the world. The man who fought through a life-threatening injury scare on a football field is back playing the game and making the most of a second chance at life.
What Happened on the Night Damar Hamlin’s Heart Stopped?
Before that night, Hamlin, a sixth-round pick out of Pittsburgh in the 2021 NFL Draft, was a relatively unknown second-year safety. He had just won the starting job in the preseason for the 2022 campaign and was impressing the Bills as a starter. After the incident in Cincinnati, however, everyone in the sports world knew his name.
What appeared to be a routine tackle turned out to be anything but. Shortly after making the play, Hamlin collapsed onto his back, lying motionless for what felt like an eternity. His heart had stopped. Medical staff rushed onto the field to check on the Bills’ safety, and upon realizing his heart was not beating, they quickly and successfully performed CPR, saving the young man’s life. An ambulance drove directly onto the field and rushed Hamlin away, leaving fans and players, both in the stadium and watching on television, in complete shock.
The game was canceled shortly after, a rare and unprecedented decision by the NFL, with no intention of resuming play. The incident prompted immediate reactions from players around the league, who showed their support for Hamlin. For instance, just days after he went down, Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes honored him during pregame warmups.
.@PatrickMahomes honoring Damar Hamlin pregame ❤️#LoveForDamar | #ForDamar pic.twitter.com/Qe2h2cCNQS
— NFL (@NFL) January 7, 2023
It was later reported that Hamlin had gone into cardiac arrest on the field, which meant a long road to recovery was ahead of him. Naturally, many questioned whether Hamlin would ever slip on his football cleats again. However, Hamlin had other plans.
In April 2023, before the start of the new season, Hamlin announced that he intended to return to football. This announcement shocked nearly everyone except the Bills, who knew what Hamlin was made of.
Damar Hamlin is ready to make a comeback. pic.twitter.com/sChxzWb76c
— ESPN (@espn) April 18, 2023
Throughout the Bills’ training camp, Hamlin worked hard, and his play looked like he hadn’t missed a beat. The safety impressed all throughout camp and was officially named to the 53-man roster, a move that had been considered a lock for weeks.
Safety Damar Hamlin has made the Bills’ initial 53-man roster, a source told ESPN, confirming multiple reports. pic.twitter.com/NPsTF14bZe
— ESPN (@espn) August 29, 2023
The news was incredibly impressive. Many had wondered how Hamlin would perform following his heart scare and if his play would be up to par with NFL expectations. It was clear Hamlin had the skill to be an NFL safety, but more importantly, he had the perseverance and dedication to never give up on his lifelong dream.
During the 2023-24 season, Hamlin appeared in only five games as he continued to work his way back to being fully game-ready. The Bills loved what they saw from a work ethic and skill level standpoint in the following offseason and named Hamlin a starter for the 2024-25 season.
Starting in all 14 games he appeared in during the 2024-25 campaign, Hamlin looked impressive. He even recorded the first two interceptions of his career that season. Additionally, Hamlin finished second in Comeback Player of the Year voting in 2023-24 and fourth in 2024-25. That 2024-25 season was the most productive of his career, and the journey to get there was far from quick or smooth.
DAMAR HAMLIN WITH HIS FIRST CAREER INT 😱 🙌
(via @NFL)
pic.twitter.com/lWhDbW0Jpk
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) September 24, 2024
In the early stages of the 2025-26 season, Hamlin has spent most of his snaps with the special teams unit. He is currently the backup free safety for the Bills behind starter Cole Bishop. Hamlin has played 12 defensive snaps through the first two weeks of the season, but he has been used on 38% of special teams snaps. This marks his most significant special teams involvement since the 2023-24 season, when he was on the field for 65% of those snaps.
Ultimately, Hamlin’s story is not just about football; it is one about the human spirit. He had every reason to put away the cleats for good, giving up on the sport that nearly took his life in a freak accident. Instead, Hamlin dug his cleats in deeper, trained harder than ever both physically and mentally, and earned his job back with an NFL team. Adversity is something everyone faces, and while it is never easy to overcome, it is a privilege to face it.
Hamlin was given a second chance to overcome massive adversity, and he did just that, never giving up on his journey back to the NFL. He completed a dark journey with a smile on his face the entire way. Hamlin is not just a guy who almost passed away on a football field, but also someone who overcame something seemingly impossible to return to playing safety at an NFL-caliber level. You can see Hamlin and the Bills in action next when they open up Week 3 on Thursday Night Football as their division rivals, the Miami Dolphins, come to town.
