Tag: Damar Hamlin

AP has asked Comeback Player voters to alter criteria after Damar Hamlin snub

Damar Hamlin surprisingly did not win the award in 2023:

After Cleveland Browns quarterback Joe Flacco won the 2023 NFL Comeback Player of the Year Award over Bills defensive back Damar Hamlin, the voting criteria have been clarified by the Associated Press.

The AP has emphasized that the winner should be a player who overcame injury or illness.

In Flacco’s case, that did not happen. Rather, the quarterback led the Cleveland Browns to the playoffs after a poor stint with the New York Jets, and he won the honor.

Flacco’s win was a shock as the expected winner was Hamlin. He did not bring it home despite returning to the NFL after his on-field cardiac arrest late in the 2022 season.

The AP released this statement on the matter:

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WATCH: Bills’ Damar Hamlin hits game winner in charity basketball game

Bang:

Damar Hamlin hosted a charity basketball game for his “Chasing M’s Foundation” over the weekend in his hometown of Pittsburgh.

The cherry on top was the game-winning basket he sank to conclude the event.

Hamlin, 26, drained a step-back three-pointer with the score tied at 117.

The inspirational safety that made his return to the Buffalo Bills following his cardiac arrest episode in 2022 has some baller in him, too.

Funny enough, current Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Russell Wilson was the one in the crowd who capture the video of the play which can be found below:

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Josh Allen: Bills’ Keon Coleman is ‘what we needed in our offense’

Josh Allen: #Bills’ Keon Coleman is ‘what we needed in our offense’

The Bills selected wide receiver Keon Coleman at No. 33 overall in the recent 2024 NFL Draft, giving QB Josh Allen a 6-foot-3, 213-pound target at the X receiver position.

Allen had said that he wanted a big-bodied receiver and he got his wish.

The quarterback spoke about the addition on NFL Network’s The Insiders, stating that he thinks Coleman and his style of play are just the right match for the Bills.

“I think his play style (is) what we needed in our offense,” Allen said. “Talking with our offensive coordinator (Joe Brady), our quarterbacks coach (Ronald Curry), (general manager) Brandon Beane and, obviously, coach (Sean) McDermott, a guy that’s a big-bodied guy and can go win one a back-shoulder fade and not afraid to be a physical wide receiver.

“I think you pair him with some of the guys we have in our room right now, I think Mack Hollins has been such a great addition so far to that room with his mentality, his mindset is infectious to others. Curtis Samuel, he’s been showing up every single day ready to work. … You start pairing those guys up with Dawson (Knox) and Coleman in this mix now, we’re gonna have a pretty solid group that works together.”

Coleman played two seasons in college at Michigan State where he caught 65 passes for 848 yards as well as eight touchdowns before transferring to Florida State for his junior season where he caught a career-high 11 touchdowns in 2023.

After Buffalo lost both their WR1 and WR2 this offseason, they had big holes in the roster at receiver to fill, and Coleman was one of the bigger steps they took towards addressing them.

The team also added receivers Curtis Samuel, Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Mack Hollins, and Chase Claypool by way of free agency to compete and provide depth.

Allen has now turned his focus toward building chemistry with his new teammates.

“I think it starts here in OTAs. I’m fortunate enough to have those guys in the building right now,” he added. “We’re throwing throughout practice. We’re taking extra reps after practice. Obviously, this time (of year), you’ve only got a certain amount of time where you can get those reps. So just doing some stuff extra and finding time. We’ll get that month off, if you will, in late June-early July, try to find a window where we can get together and throw again. Just make sure that we’re staying on top of things, and getting as many reps as possible.”

Bills’ Damar Hamlin: ‘You can’t tell’ Keon Coleman is a rookie

#Bills’ Damar Hamlin: ‘You can’t tell’ Keon Coleman is a rookie:

The Bills added 10 rookies to the team by way of selection in the 2024 NFL Draft, and one in particular has already made an impression on one of his teammates.

Safety Damar Hamlin joined in on an interview with rookie receiver Keon Coleman at OTAs this past week to offer some praise and recognition, as well as some playful joking, to the conversation.

https://x.com/JonScottTV/status/1792982560617730396

“Y’all know this guy? This (is) my twin,” Hamlin said, via WGRZ. “He’s been working. You can’t even tell he’s a rookie. Looks like he’s been with us since I’ve been here.”

Hamlin joked a bit with Coleman, though it was more an expression of the camaraderie and relationship they’ve built already.

“I love him. He’s a special one, so I love him.”

Coleman has quickly been growing into a favorite of fans and the media this offseason since joining the Bills and has shown good hands and work in OTA’s thus far.

As Buffalo’s first 2024 NFL Draft selection, Coleman has big shoes to fill at his position, as the Bills parted ways with their WR1 and WR2 this offseason, Stefon Diggs and Gabe Davis.

Despite the departures of key players, the changes in the roster have resulted in a positive outlook toward the new talent that’s come in.

“It’s an adjustment, but change is good,” Hamlin said of his new teammates. “I’ve been a firm believer in that my whole life. We just rolling with it.”

Count Coleman’s new quarterback among those who see his addition as a positive as well.

“I think his play style (is) what we needed in our offense,” QB Josh Allen told NFL Network. “Talking with our offensive coordinator (Joe Brady), our quarterbacks coach (Ronald Curry), (general manager) Brandon Beane, and, obviously, coach (Sean) McDermott, a guy that’s a big-bodied guy and can go win one a back-shoulder fade and not afraid to be a physical wide receiver.

“I think you pair him with some of the guys we have in our room right now, I think Mack Hollins has been such a great addition so far to that room with his mentality, his mindset is infectious to others. Curtis Samuel, he’s been showing up every single day ready to work. … You start pairing those guys up with Dawson (Knox) and Coleman in this mix now, we’re gonna have a pretty solid group that works together.”

Coleman returned the good sentiment, noting about the quarterback  ‘I’m still a fan myself’. Who knows, maybe the inspiration could see the rookie throw a pass this season himself.

Cam Johnson to play in Damar Hamlin’s celebrity basketball game

Cam Johnson to play in Damar Hamlin’s celebrity basketball game, featuring big names like Shareef O’Neal and Aaron Darnold.

If you didn’t get a chance to see [autotag]Cam Johnson[/autotag] play this past season for the Brooklyn Nets, then you are in luck with the former Tar Heel expected to play in Buffalo Bills’ player Damar Hamlin’s celebrity basketball game.

The announcement came Wednesday night via social media, confirming that Johnson will be one of the participants of the Chasing M’s Celebrity Basketball Game. The event is on Saturday, June 8th, in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania, at North Allegheny Senior High School.

Johnson has deep ties to the state, playing high school ball there before eventually signing with Pitt and playing three seasons with the Panthers before transferring to UNC.

The lineup for this game is stacked, featuring huge names like Brandon Marshall, Josh Norman, Shareef O’Neal, Aaron Darnold, and Flavor Flav to name a few. Johnson, as of now is the only active NBA player announced for the game, so expect his on-court experience to take over.

Johnson had an injury-riddled season this past year, averaging 13.4 points and 4.3 rebounds. It will be intriguing to see how much Johnson drops against a game filled with NFL players.

Tickets are only $10, so, not that bad of a deal to see some professional athletes hoop.

Follow us @TarHeelsWire on X and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of North Carolina Tar Heels news, notes and opinions.

Canisius University gives Bills DB Damar Hamlin honorary doctorate

Bills DB Damar Hamlin received an honor from Canisius University

Canisius University in Western New York honored Buffalo Bills DB Damar Hamlin at its commencement ceremony on Saturday.

Hamlin, who returned to the field in 2024 after suffering a cardiac incident during a game in 2023, was awarded an honorary doctorate.

Per the school:

A true champion both on and off the field, Hamlin has left an indelible mark through his remarkable journey of resilience and philanthropy. He inspired people around the country and the world when he suffered cardiac arrest after making a tackle during a Monday Night Football game against Cincinnati in 2023. Hamlin not only recovered from his injury and returned to the team but he also leveraged the experience to help others.

In 2023, Hamlin launched the CPR Tour, a groundbreaking initiative through his Chasing M’s Foundation. This tour has equipped more than 1,200 individuals with life-saving skills, provided 170 AEDs to communities in need and catalyzed legislative change in 12 states.

In addition, Hamlin established the Heroes Scholarship in Cincinnati, honoring the medical professionals pivotal to his recovery.

Bills’ Damar Hamlin responds to Antonio Brown on social media

Hamlin got him:

Antonio Brown’s social media page is… something else. He says a lot and plenty of things that we’re not going to bring up here.

But at one point, he took aim at Bills safety Damar Hamlin.

Hamlin did not hold back.

After going through his cardiac arrest episode in 2023, Hamlin heard from AB on social media. The former NFL wideout suggested Hamlin is not a real person.

Welp, Hamlin went in on Brown pretty hard. He claimed AB had recently reached out to him on social media… and Hamlin ignored him.

Ouch.

Hamlin’s comeback can be found below:

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Bills’ Damar Hamlin wouldn’t mind closing career with childhood team, the Steelers

#Bills’ Damar Hamlin wouldn’t mind closing career with childhood team, the #Steelers:

Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin wouldn’t mind playing for and closing out his NFL career with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

But don’t get too worked up, folks.

Hamlin, who has been through a ton since his episode with cardiac arrest on the football field, was doing some charity work near his hometown.

Where abouts is he from? Pittsburgh. Any Bills fan right now would give up anything to play one down for their childhood team. Hamlin would, too.

Plus, Hamlin was doing community work while making the remarks. How can we hate on the guy for that? We can’t.

Even so, Hamlin did take a second to explain on social media:

Again, not that he even needed to.

But here is Hamlin’s breaking his dream down for those curious:

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Bills release ‘Beyond Blue & Red’ feature on Damar Hamlin’s comeback

#Bills release ‘Beyond Blue & Red’ feature on Damar Hamlin’s comeback, watch it now:

Bills safety Damar Hamlin made his incredible comeback to the NFL in 2023 following the cardiac arrest episode he went through at the end of prior year.

Hamlin’s journey was well documented, including by the Bills. In their latest “Beyond Blue and Red” video series, Hamlin’s return to football is given the behind-the scenes treatment we’ve been accustomed to seeing in the feature.

That episode which was released this week can be found in the clip below:

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Peter King says Bills’ Damar Hamlin not winning Comeback POTY award ‘absurd’

Peter King of NBC Sports recently wrote that Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin not winning Comeback Player of the Year was “absurd.”

The 2023 NFL season is over and once again, the Buffalo Bills lost the chance at the league title to the eventual NFL champion, the Kansas City Chiefs. While the sting of another missed opportunity is still there for Buffalo’s fanbase despite it happening weeks ago, there is another event that took place that seems to have a sting of its own.

As Bills Wire previously covered, Bills safety Damar Hamlin lost out on the Comeback Player of the Year award to Cleveland Browns quarterback Joe Flacco. Well, there is one person in the national media who was not happy with that decision at all: Peter King of NBC Sports.

Granted, Flacco went from being on his couch in November to leading the Browns to the playoffs after quarterbacking the team to a 4-1 record. However, Hamlin came back to the field after suffering cardiac arrest last season against the Cincinnati Bengals, an event that almost cost him his life, let alone his career.

To be fair, Hamlin lost to Flacco by a narrow margin so it’s clear that voters saw the importance of Hamlin’s comeback while others felt that Flacco deserved the award as well. Here’s what King had to say about Flacco winning the award instead of Hamlin:

“It’s ridiculous that Joe Flacco, who came back from sitting on his couch for two-and-a-half months, won Comeback Player over Damar Hamlin, who came back from having to be resuscitated back to life on a football field last January. What’s stronger than ridiculous? Absurd? Okay. It was absurd. Eight voters did not have Hamlin in their top three Comeback candidates. I simply do not understand.”

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