Damar Hamlin couldn’t help but hold on tightly to the ball as his teammates surrounded him when he reached Buffalo’s sideline.
He knew that his first career interception happened on a Monday night, about 21 months after he suffered cardiac arrest and had to be revived on the field in Cincinnati in January 2022.
“We all know my last game and how that game went,” Hamlin said after the Bills’ 47-10 victory over Jacksonville. “So to be able to come all the way back from that, and have a special moment, it’s all God.”
Hamlin was in the right spot to catch Trevor Lawrence’s overthrown pass intended for Brian Thomas Jr. in the second quarter. He grabbed the ball at Buffalo’s 41 and made a 19-yard return.
While celebrating, Hamlin held the ball tightly as he walked to the bench.
“They were a big part of me being able to make this type of comeback. They pushed me. They gave me love. They gave me grace. They gave me everything I needed on the journey,” Hamlin said about his teammates.
“And they were even happier than I was to get my first interception. But that just shows the community and the bond that we have here in Buffalo.”
Hamlin’s long recovery process began in April 2023, when he was cleared to practice. Doctors assured him that the chances of a recurrence were slim.
He gradually got back into practice, starting with his first practice, then his first practice in pads, and finally his first preseason game before making the Bills roster as a backup.
With last year behind him, the 26-year-old overcame any fears he had and earned a starting spot in a revamped secondary, where he plays alongside Taylor Rapp.
