Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin responded on Sunday to the outpouring of love and support he has seen in the last week from his teammates, other NFL players and teams, and fans.
Hamlin suffered a cardiac arrest on the field during Monday’s game against the Cincinnati Bengals — after which team trainer Denny Kellington performed CPR and first responders rushed him to the hospital — but by game time on Sunday, the recovering player was sitting up in his Cincinnati hospital bed and cheering his teammates on to a 35-23 win over the New England Patriots.
GAMETIME!!! @BuffaloBills 💙 pic.twitter.com/PQYClonUHb
— 𝐃𝐚𝐦𝐚𝐫 𝐇𝐚𝐦𝐥𝐢𝐧 (@HamlinIsland) January 8, 2023
The Buffalo Bills made it clear on Sunday that they were taking the field with Hamlin in their hearts. And in the opening moments of the game, teammate Nyheim Hines set the tone for the day by returning the opening kick-off for a 96-yard touchdown.
Throughout the game — and other games across the league — different teams and players offered their own tributes to Hamlin. And Hamlin, who was watching from his hospital bed, took it all in and responded via Twitter.
“God Behind All This No Coincidence,” Hamlin tweeted in response to the opening kick-off return.
God Behind All This No Coincidence..3️⃣ https://t.co/J2dCVv4VBN
— 𝐃𝐚𝐦𝐚𝐫 𝐇𝐚𝐦𝐥𝐢𝐧 (@HamlinIsland) January 8, 2023
When Bills tight end Dawson Knox scored the second touchdown of the day, he signaled the words “I love you” with his hands. Hamlin, who saw Knox’s gesture, tweeted, “I love you too @dawson_knox.”
Knox replied after the game, “Love you boy!!”
Love you boy!! 🫶👆 https://t.co/1pk0q6MkL1
— Dawson Knox (@dawson_knox) January 8, 2023
Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins — who was part of the collision with Hamlin just prior to his cardiac arrest — caught Hamlin’s attention when he shared a photo of himself warming up Sunday in a shirt that read “Love for Damar.”
— 𝐃𝐚𝐦𝐚𝐫 𝐇𝐚𝐦𝐥𝐢𝐧 (@HamlinIsland) January 8, 2023
Hamlin also responded to a tweet from a fan, who shared a video of himself and friends shouting, “We love you, Damar!”
“Love you more!” he said.
Love you more! 🫶🏾3️⃣💕 https://t.co/ZWPFDY627L
— 𝐃𝐚𝐦𝐚𝐫 𝐇𝐚𝐦𝐥𝐢𝐧 (@HamlinIsland) January 8, 2023
“Rod Dawg,” he tweeted in response when his former high school teammate — Indianapolis Colts safety Rodney Thomas — took a moment after an interception in his game against the Houston Texans. He and his teammates walked to the 30-yard line and gathered around the number three, and Thomas held up his hands in the shape of a heart.
🫶🏾🫶🏾🫶🏾 Rod Dawg! @Rodney_Thomas26 https://t.co/a4UEVGa17E
— 𝐃𝐚𝐦𝐚𝐫 𝐇𝐚𝐦𝐥𝐢𝐧 (@HamlinIsland) January 8, 2023
Hamlin immediately moved to pay it forward, however, announcing a new t-shirt that he was selling to raise money for the men and women who worked tirelessly to save his life.
“We all won,” Hamlin tweeted. “I want to give back an ounce of the love y’all showed me. Proceeds of this shirt will go to first-responders and the UC Trauma Center. Go get yours.”
We all won 🫶🏾.
I want to give back an ounce of the love y'all showed me. Proceeds of this shirt will go to first-responders and the UC Trauma Center.
Go get yours!https://t.co/YoDbBo6bzs pic.twitter.com/BQ6HHv5woF
— 𝐃𝐚𝐦𝐚𝐫 𝐇𝐚𝐦𝐥𝐢𝐧 (@HamlinIsland) January 8, 2023