FOXBORO, Mass. — Damar Hamlin suffered the most frightening injury in recent NFL history during Monday night’s Bills-Bengals game.
When the Buffalo safety awoke three days later, the first thing he wanted to know was how that game had ended.
Doctors at University of Cincinnati Medical Center said Hamlin, after regaining consciousness for the first time Thursday, asked in writing whether the Bills had beaten the Bengals in Monday’s clash of AFC heavyweights.
“Did we win?” Hamlin wrote.
“Yes, Damar, you won. You won the game of life,” doctors told the 24-year-old defensive back.
That question resonated with quarterback Mac Jones, whose New England Patriots are preparing to visit Buffalo this Sunday in their regular-season finale. Jones said he and his teammates have been closely following updates on Hamlin’s condition.
“I think every update that we get in the locker room, everyone’s super excited to hear that each time, he’s doing better,” Jones said. “We’re all super excited. Honestly, (that question) is pretty wild. You can tell that he’s a competitor, right? That’s the first thing he’s asking and all that. I think that’s who we are as people.
“We love the game of football, and obviously, I’m just so glad that he’s doing better, and his family, hopefully they can start talking with him and doing all that stuff. Really just, him and his family, prayers to them. Obviously, he’s a great competitor, and I hope he has a speedy recovery here. But all thoughts and prayers are with him and his family.”
Hamlin suffered cardiac arrest following a collision with Bengals receiver Tee Higgins. He had to be revived on the field at Paycor Stadium before being rushed to a local hospital, where he remained as of Thursday.
His injury, which occurred during a nationally televised “Monday Night Football” game, prompted an outpouring of support from around the NFL and beyond. A GoFundMe for a toy drive Hamlin had organized received over $6 million and counting in donations, smashing its intended goal of $2,500.
Patriots owner Robert Kraft and several Patriots players were among those who donated.
“I think it’s important to realize football is a game that brings people together,” Jones said, “and I think this is a great example of bringing not only our teams together, but the whole league — the whole world, really. The whole nation. I think it’s a really tough time, but you can see all the support for him and his family, and I really hope that he just continues to get better.”
The Patriots and Bills are scheduled to square off this Sunday at Highmark Stadium. The game has major playoff implications for both teams, but both will have Hamlin on their minds as they take the field.
“We’re all playing for him, right?” Jones said. “We all want to be out there and compete, and that’s what he does when he’s out there. He’s all over the tape. You see him making plays. It’s just tough to see that he’s hurt so bad, but at the end of the day, we’ve got to go out there and compete and just honor him on both sides of the ball.
“I obviously have respect for the Bills and everything that they’ve been through this past week. It’s really tough, obviously. We’re not in their situation, but we’re all in this together.”
