2021 season 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.
2022 season 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 2017 loss. In Week 13 against the
New England Patriots, Hamlin was ejected after an illegal hit on
Jakobi Meyers in the 2410 win. He was placed on
injured reserve on January 6, 2023, after he collapsed during the game against the
Cincinnati Bengals.
In-game collapse 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. 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 struck Hamlin's chest. Sports commentators described the tackle as seemingly routine while noting the jarring nature of the contact. Following the play, Hamlin momentarily stood up, then passed out and fell backwards. Hamlin remained motionless at midfield while team
athletic trainers and paramedics rushed to his side within 10 seconds. First responders initiated CPR, automated external defibrillation (AED) and other treatments to Hamlin on the field for 10 minutes. Hamlin was eventually administered oxygen and an
intravenous solution (IV). 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.
Recovery On January 3, Hamlin remained at the
University of Cincinnati Academic Health Center while sedated and on a
ventilator. According to his uncle Dorrian Glen, Hamlin was placed on his stomach to help take the pressure off his lungs. He also stated that Hamlin's condition was "trending upwards". On January 5, Bills cornerback
Kaiir Elam said that Hamlin was awake and doing better. The same day, the Bills released a statement, saying, "Damar has shown remarkable improvement over the past 24 hours" and "while still critically ill, he has demonstrated that he appears to be neurologically intact. His lungs continue to heal and he is making steady progress." Trauma surgeon Timothy Pritts said Hamlin was able to communicate by writing on paper or by nodding and shaking his head, since he still had a breathing tube. When Hamlin woke up, he was able to follow commands, had full control and feeling in his extremities, and asked who won Monday night's football game by communicating in writing on a clipboard. The doctor said significant progress was still needed, but "this marks a really good turning point in his ongoing care." The next day, Hamlin made his first public comments since his cardiac arrest through social media, stating that he was thankful for the love he has received and asked for continued prayers for a "long road" ahead. On January 9, a week after being admitted to the hospital, Hamlin was discharged from the
University of Cincinnati Medical Center so he could return to Buffalo and continue treatment there. with tests done the following day to determine if he could be released. Hamlin said via his Twitter account that he was "not home quite just yet" and "still doing & passing a bunch of tests." He was discharged from Buffalo General Medical Center/Gates Vascular Institute two days later, to continue his rehabilitation at home. A spokesman for the family reported that Hamlin's heart was being monitored and that he was still using additional oxygen. Hamlin was able to attend the
Bills' Divisional round game against the Bengals as a spectator. This marked Hamlin's first public appearance since the collapse. In February 2023, Hamlin made a special on-field appearance at
Super Bowl LVII, accompanied by Bills athletic training and UC Health staff members. The following month, Hamlin met with President
Joe Biden at the
White House. Hamlin was in
Washington, D.C. to support the Access to AEDs Act, which would assist schools in obtaining and using
automated external defibrillators. The week after, Hamlin attended a CPR seminar being presented by the
Carolina Panthers and the
American Heart Association in
Charlotte. On April 18, 2023, Buffalo Bills general manager
Brandon Beane stated that Hamlin was fully cleared to return to the NFL. That same day, Hamlin announced his intention to continue playing football.
Reactions Following the collapse, numerous NFL players and teams quickly offered their support and prayers on social media. The following day, all 32 NFL teams changed their profile pictures on
Twitter to a picture of Hamlin's jersey and text that reads "Pray For Damar". Tee Higgins offered his condolences to Hamlin's family, as did Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver
Ja'Marr Chase. Buffalo Bills quarterback
Josh Allen urged people, "Please pray for our brother." Retired ice hockey player
Chris Pronger, who had also experienced a commotio cordis-caused cardiac arrest during his career, wished for Hamlin to have a full recovery. Fans began gathering outside the University of Cincinnati Academic Health Center following his collapse. Hours after the incident, the lights on
Paycor Stadium, the location of the game, were lit blue in honor of Hamlin along with the lights on
Fifth Third Bank's headquarters on
Fountain Square in downtown Cincinnati.
Niagara Falls was illuminated in blue on the evening of January 3 in support of Hamlin. Shortly after the incident, there was an increase in rhetoric and disinformation from well-known
anti-vaxxers, including
Charlie Kirk and
Drew Pinsky, making
unfounded claims about Hamlin's cardiac arrest and
COVID-19 vaccines. The Bills dedicated their week 18
January 8, 2023, game, against the
New England Patriots, to Hamlin. The opening kickoff of the game, shortly after a showing of support for Hamlin from both the organization and fans, would be returned by
Nyheim Hines for a
touchdown for the Bills. The Bills' 35–23 victory would also eliminate the rival Patriots from playoff contention. On July 12, 2023, Hamlin was honored to present the
Pat Tillman Award to the Buffalo Bills training staff during the
ESPY awards ceremony. It was an emotional moment for Hamlin, the staff, and his fans, who posted it on social media.
2023 season On August 12, 2023, Hamlin played his first NFL snap since his cardiac arrest in the Bills' preseason opener against the
Las Vegas Raiders. After playing in all three preseason contests, Hamlin was a healthy scratch for the first three games of the season. On October 1, he was activated for the first time since his cardiac arrest in week four against the
Miami Dolphins, serving as a backup after
Jordan Poyer was ruled out due to an injury. He played a total of 18 snaps on the night, all on special teams. On November 13, Hamlin played his first snaps on defense and made his first tackle since the on-field incident during the fourth quarter of the Bills' week ten game against the
Denver Broncos. In the
Divisional Round playoff game against the
Kansas City Chiefs, Hamlin took a direct snap during a fake punt in the fourth quarter after the Bills noticed the Chiefs only had ten players on the field. On a fourth-and-5, Hamlin carried the ball for two yards but was stopped three yards short, resulting in the Chiefs taking over on downs. Hamlin was the heavy favorite to win
AP Comeback Player of the Year, but was ultimately beat out by
Joe Flacco. Both Hamlin and Flacco believed that the former should have won the award.
2024 season After the Bills parted ways with starting safeties Micah Hyde and Jordan Poyer, Hamlin started at safety during the Bills' week one game against the
Arizona Cardinals, marking his first start since his cardiac arrest. In Week 3, Hamlin recorded his first career interception in a 4710 Bills win over the
Jacksonville Jaguars. He was named a first alternate in the
2025 Pro Bowl Games near the end of the season for his play in 2024.
2025 season On March 12, 2025, Hamlin re-signed with the Bills on a one-year, $2 million contract. After suffering a pectoral injury in practice, Hamlin was placed on injured reserve on October 11.
2026 season On March 27, 2026, Hamlin re-signed with the Bills on a one-year deal. ==Career statistics==