Buffalo Bills to Start S Damar Hamlin for 1st Time Since On-Field Tragedy

When Buffalo Bills defensive back Damar Hamlin went down during a Monday Night Football game against the Cincinnati Bengals there was a chance he wouldn’t make it through the night much less play football again.

Now, over a year and a half after the incident occurred, Hamlin will be starting in the Bills secondary for their week one opener against the Arizona Cardinals.

Damar Hamlin played for the Buffalo Bills in 2023

Despite the Hamlin incident occurring on the second day of 2023, he still managed to find his way onto the field for the Bills during the 2023 season.

Hamlin suffered from Commotio Cordis at the tail end of the 2022 season, giving him a full offseason to recover and return to the field. He appeared in five games as a reserve for the Bills in 2023.

While simply returning to the field was a major step for Hamlin, it was not the end of his journey. It was a stepping stone on his way to becoming a starter in the NFL, which is already difficult for players like Hamlin who were drafted late.

Hamlin was the No. 212 overall pick in the sixth round of the 2021 NFL Draft, meaning he had to fight to earn a spot on the 53-man roster. Many sixth-round picks never see the field much less end up starting for the team that drafted them. Hamlin did that after coming back from being declared clinically dead on the field, as Hamlin himself explained in an article from Sports Illustrated.

“I died on national TV in front of the world … (and) to see the world see the good that I was trying to do even before the notoriety, for that to be acknowledged, it was just a wonderful feeling,” Hamlin said on Tuesday. “I plan to save a generation and generations to come.”

Fans have mixed feelings about Damar Hamlin starting for the Buffalo Bills

Many fans are extremely happy for Hamlin and how far he has come since the incident that took place on the field. They took to social media to express how awesome it is that Hamlin was able to work his way up to being a starter despite everything he has been through.

Other fans aren’t so happy that Hamlin is starting for the Bills. Some Bills fans think Hamlin is a liability in the secondary and while the story is cool, it sparks concern for Buffalo’s ability to make a deep playoff run in the 2024 season.

Damar by the grace of god is back! 🙏

— jion12345 (@jion_12345) September 4, 2024

All glory to God for Hamlin.. Incredible story with what happened to him and till now! 🙏

— The Bro Dad (@The_BroDad) September 4, 2024

Great story, hopefully he can make positive impact on the field

— The Betting Man (@BettingMinutes) September 4, 2024

Cool story and all but doesn’t he like….. suck?

— MJ (@MJ54) September 4, 2024

He left a lot to be desired when he filled in for Mycah Hyde. Hopefully he does better with this 2nd chance.

— Hoover (@Hoover5454) September 4, 2024

Oof there safety situation is quite bad then. He was literally inactive for big swathes of last year.

— Dylan (@DyFrex___) September 4, 2024

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