Damar Hamlin

Damar Romeyelle Hamlin (born March 24, 1998) is an American football safety for the Buffalo Bills of the National Football League (NFL).

He played college football at the University of Pittsburgh and was selected by the Bills in the sixth round of the 2021 NFL Draft.

Hamlin spent most of his rookie season as a backup before becoming a starter in 2022 following a season-ending injury to Micah Hyde.

During a Monday Night Football game against the Cincinnati Bengals on January 2, 2023, Hamlin suffered a cardiac arrest after making a tackle, and he was hospitalized in critical condition.

He was released nine days later and eventually returned to professional football.

Hamlin was raised in McKees Rocks, Pennsylvania.

He attended Central Catholic High School in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

He was named first-team All-State and the Class AAAA Defensive Player of the Year.

Hamlin was considered a top cornerback coming out of Central Catholic High School.

He was a four-star recruit and was pursued by major college football programs including Pittsburgh, Penn State, Ohio State and Temple.

He selected the Pittsburgh Panthers and played in three games as a freshman in 2016 before suffering an injury and receiving a medical redshirt exception for that year.

As a redshirt freshman playing in his second year in 2017, Hamlin was not back to full health until week three of the football season.

Playing the safety position, he recorded 41 tackles with one interception in nine games played.

In 2018, Hamlin led the Panthers "sniper gang" secondary with 77 tackles and two interceptions as a redshirt sophomore and was named honorable mention All-Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC).

In 2019, he registered 84 tackles with 10 passes broken up as a redshirt junior.

Going into his final season in 2020, Hamlin was a team captain and was named to the All-ACC second-team after leading the Panthers with 66 tackles and seven passes broken up.

He earned ACC Co-Defensive Back of the Week honors for his November 21, 2020, game against Virginia Tech.

Hamlin earned a bachelor's degree in communication from the University of Pittsburgh.

The Buffalo Bills selected Hamlin in the sixth round with the 212th overall pick of the 2021 NFL Draft.

He signed his four-year rookie contract with Buffalo on May 21, 2021.

Hamlin played a reserve role in his first season, tallying two tackles and two pass breakup in 14 games played.

Hamlin became one of Buffalo's starting safeties in 2022 after Micah Hyde suffered a season-ending neck injury in Week 2.

Against the New York Jets in Week 9, Hamlin led the team with 12 tackles and a sack in the 20–17 loss.

In Week 13 against the New England Patriots, Hamlin was ejected after an illegal hit on Jakobi Meyers in the 24–10 win.

He was placed on injured reserve on January 6, 2023, after he collapsed during the game against the Cincinnati Bengals.

On January 2, 2023, during a Week 17 Monday Night Football game against the Bengals, Hamlin collapsed on the field at 8:56 p.m. EST after tackling wide receiver Tee Higgins and required immediate emergency medical treatment.

At the start of the play, Higgins caught a pass by Joe Burrow near the 50-yard line and ran downfield while leading with his right shoulder, which collided against Hamlin's chest.

As the defender, Hamlin made a tackle by wrapping his arms around Higgins' shoulders and helmet to bring him down to the ground.

Sports commentators described the tackle as seemingly routine while noting the jarring nature of the contact.

Following the play, Hamlin stood up momentarily before passing out and falling backwards.

Hamlin remained motionless at midfield while team trainers and paramedics rushed to his side within ten seconds.

First responders initiated CPR, automated external defibrillation (AED) and other treatments to Hamlin on the field for ten minutes.

Hamlin was eventually administered oxygen and an intravenous solution (IV).

An ambulance was brought onto the field about four minutes after his collapse for more assistance.

As he was being placed on a stretcher, most of the players from both teams came off the sidelines to kneel or stand on the field near him, visibly upset and emotional about his status.

After being transported by ambulance to the University of Cincinnati Medical Center at 9:23 p.m. EST, he was reported to be in critical condition and was intubated.

Later that night at 1:48 a.m. local time, the Bills reported that Hamlin had initially suffered cardiac arrest and his heartbeat was restored on-field.

Hamlin later confirmed that he had an episode of commotio cordis, an extremely rare condition in which cardiac rhythm is disrupted by a blow to the chest during a specific 40-millisecond span in the heart's electrical cycle.

The condition is 97% fatal if not treated within three minutes.

On January 3, Hamlin remained at the University of Cincinnati Academic Health Center while sedated and on a ventilator.