Tag: Damar Hamlin

Bills DBs Damar Hamlin and Dane Jackson compare city cuisines: Pittsburgh vs. Buffalo

Which city has better food: Buffalo or Pittsburgh?

In the week leading up to the 2024 Super Bowl between the San Francisco 49ers and Kansas City Chiefs at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, For The Win caught up with Buffalo Bills defensive backs Damar Hamlin and Dane Jackson to cover a wide variety of topics ahead of the big game.

The Pennsylvania natives and former Pittsburgh Panthers shared what they love about the Steel City’s cuisine and how it compares with Buffalo food — Hamlin really wants to give our Christian D’Andrea a tour of Pittsburgh — and their favorite bars.

“See, man, you gotta come to Pittsburgh and come get a scenery of food from us,” Hamlin said.

“For real, for real,” Jackson added.

“You gotta come get the real Pittsburgh, not the touristy [Pittsburgh],” Hamlin continued.

Hamlin said it’s a tie for him between Buffalo and Pittsburgh food, but he later changed his mind to Pittsburgh, admitting he hasn’t tried a lot of places in Buffalo. Jackson went with Pittsburgh too but noted that Buffalo has many hidden gems that “will fulfill all your tastebuds for sure.”

On the field, they broke down their defensive strategies for not letting players create space and get open, as well as how they mask their own schemes.

“It’s just all about executing the call that you’ve been running all week in practice,” Hamlin said. “However we decide to play it out this week — it may be different than [last] week, it may be the same. We might just be set on our rules because this is what works for us, you know what I mean?

“So it all depends, you know what I mean? But as long as the defense is all on the same page, you’ve got a chance to win every play. It only really gets ugly when you start to bust coverages, and you don’t know what to anticipate.”

Here’s our full interview with Hamlin and Jackson:

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Joe Flacco, not Damar Hamlin shockingly wins NFL Comeback Player of the Year

Joe Flacco, not Damar Hamlin shockingly wins NFL Comeback Player of the Year:

In a bit of a head-scratching scenario, Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin did not win the 2023 NFL Comeback Player of the Year Award.

On Thursday during the yearly NFL honors show, Hamlin was up for the honor. Instead of Hamlin, voters chose Cleveland Browns quarterback Joe Flacco.

Hamlin did not have a huge impact on the Bills this season, however, many across the world were inspired by his return to football after cardiac arrest.

Flacco was on the couch before the Browns called him to come play five games down the stretch. Cleveland cracked the playoffs behind Flacco.

It’s a shocking result as even Flacco said prior to the award show the he thought Hamlin should win. Hamlin received more first-place votes (21) than Flacco (13), but a weighted scoring system gave Flacco 151 total points to Hamlin’s 140.

The full results for the voting can be found below:

NFL fans were stunned Damar Hamlin lost to Joe Flacco for NFL Comeback Player of the Year

How did Damar Hamlin NOT win this award?!

With ZERO disrespect to Joe Flacco — who deserves kudos for what he did for the Cleveland Browns this season at age 38 after years of mediocrity — it’s absolutely stunning that Damar Hamlin didn’t win NFL Comeback Player of the Year.

It doesn’t matter one iota that he played in just five games in 2023 and registered two tackles. We are talking about a player who collapsed on the field last year, suffered cardiac arrest and who had his life saved … and then he came back to play football again.

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Doesn’t that deserve the award, without a doubt? That was the reaction from many NFL fans:

Baker Mayfield finishes third in AP Comeback Player of the Year voting

Mayfield was beat out by Buffalo’s Damar Hamlin and the winner of the award in Cleveland’s Joe Flacco.

Bucs quarterback Baker Mayfield may have won FOX’s fan-voted Comeback Player of the Year award, but the Associated Press award was not to be.

Mayfield was up for contention with a number of players for the award, but he lost out when it was revealed at the 2024 NFL Honors ceremony. Mayfield placed third in voting for the AP Comeback Player of the Year award, coming in behind Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin and the winner of the award in Cleveland Browns quarterback Joe Flacco.

Mayfield had 10 total first-place votes, 10 second-place votes and 13 third-place votes through the ranked-choice voting that the AP now conducts for seasonal awards. Interestingly enough, Hamlin had by far the most first-place votes with 21, but Flacco’s 26 second-place votes were enough put him over the top as the winner of the award.

As safety Antoine Winfield Jr. did not win the Walter Payton Man of the Year award, no Buccaneers players came away with any awards on Thursday night.

Browns QB Joe Flacco takes home NFL Comeback Player of the Year over Damar Hamlin

It’s a clean sweep for the Cleveland Browns!

In what is a shocking outcome, Cleveland Browns quarterback Joe Flacco has won NFL Comeback Player of the Year over Damar Hamlin after a historic run.

Flacco came to Cleveland straight off of his couch, starting five games for the Browns. He finished 4-1 in those starts, throwing for over 300 yards in three straight games and setting franchise marks along the way. He finished the season with over 1,600 yards and 13 touchdowns in a limited amount of time on the field.

And now the 38-year-old veteran has been rewarded for his efforts.

After defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz won Assistant Coach of the Year, head coach Kevin Stefanski won NFL Coach of the Year, and defensive end Myles Garrett won NFL Defensive Player of the Year, the Browns swept all of the awards they had nominees up for.

Who knows what the future holds for Flacco in 2024 and beyond, but the city of Cleveland will remember him fondly for what he gave to the Browns this past season.

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Browns’ Joe Flacco: Bills’ Damar Hamlin ‘for sure’ deserves Comeback Player of Year

Both are up for the award:

Browns quarterback Joe Flacco is on the ballot to win the 2023 NFL Comeback Player of the Year Award.

He does not think he should win it.

Instead, the former Super Bowl MVP already has his pick: Bills safety Damar Hamlin.

Hamlin did not have a huge impact on the Bills this season. However, he made a remarkable recovery from cardiac arrest to suit up in the NFL this season which surprised many.

Plus, Flacco doesn’t really think made much of a “comeback” at all.

“I don’t necessarily know what I’m coming back from, from being old and not being on a team for a couple of months?” Flacco said.

Flacco and Hamlin are two of five nominees for this year’s honor. The other include:

  • Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa
  • Rams QB Matthew Stafford
  • Buccaneers QB Baker Mayfield

For more from Flacco, see the attached CBS Sports interview below:

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Bills’ Damar Hamlin wins PFWA Comeback Player of the Year

#Bills’ Damar Hamlin wins PFWA Comeback Player of the Year:

13 months ago, Damar Hamlin collapsed on the field during the Buffalo Bills’ matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals.

Hamlin suffered a cardiac arrest after making a tackle in the Week 17 game.. He was administered CPR before being rushed to a local Cincinnati hospital.

Hamlin recovered and played in his first game since the medical incident in the Bills preseason outing against the Indianapolis Colts. He made the 53 man squad after preseason and made his debut in an AFC East divisional showdown against the Miami Dolphins, who were fighting to also win the division.

Hamlin has received a top honor for his impressive return to high-level football. Hamlin was awarded the Professional Football Writers of America’s Comeback Player of the Year:

In the 2023 season, Hamlin played five games. While the box score isn’t as impactful as it may seem, the fact that Hamlin narrowly escaped death to compete and earn a spot in the Bills team was very impressive.

According to bettors, once Hamlin made the 53-man roster he was a heavy favorite to win all season long. We will see after the culmination of the season whether he also wins the prestigious NFL Comeback Player of the Year as voted by the Associated Press. Last season’s winner Geno Smith won both awards.

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Commanders LT Charles Leno Jr. named finalist for prestigious Alan Page Community Award

Charles Leno named a finalist for prestigious community award.

Charles Leno Jr. finished his 10th NFL season earlier this month and his third season with the Washington Commanders. In 10 NFL seasons, Leno has played 149 games with 141 starts. He’s also made the Pro Bowl, too.

Not bad for a former seventh-round pick.

But for as good as Leno has been on the field throughout his NFL career, he’s even more impressive off the field. In 2022, Leno was named the Commanders’ Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year award nominee for his outstanding work in the community.

Leno and his wife Jennifer have participated in numerous off-field activities in the DMV community, and in 2020, created “Leno Claus,” which gives back to families in need during the first 20 days of December.

Leno is also a four-time Community MVP and two-time NFLPA Community MVP.

On Wednesday, the NFLPA announced the five finalists for the 2024 NFLPA Alan Page Community Award. The award is named after Pro Football Hall of Famer Alan Page, who enjoyed a 15-year NFL career that saw him win numerous awards, including NFL MVP, a two-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year, the NFL 100th Anniversary All-Time Team and much, much more.

But Page saved his most impressive work for after his playing career when he became a Minnesota Supreme Court judge. Page received a Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2018.

From the NFLPA:

The Alan Page Community (APC) Award is the highest honor that the NFLPA can bestow upon a player. The award annually recognizes one union member who goes above and beyond to perform community service in his team city and/or hometown. As an award for the players and by the players, the winner will be determined next week through a league-wide digital vote by their NFL peers.

Leno was one of five finalists, joining Damar Hamlin (Buffalo), Calais Campbell (Atlanta), Harrison Phillips (Minnesota) and Frank Ragnow (Detroit) as the finalists.

All five finalists receive a $10,000 donation from the NFLPA toward their foundation or charity of choice.

Leno also secured the distinction of Week 17 NFLPA Community MVP and APC Award finalist for a second consecutive season after hosting his latest Leno Claus initiative. For 25 days during the month of December, Leno’s Beyond The Entertainer Foundation positively impacted more than 20 different non-profits and causes, including donating 720 winter blankets for Chicagoans in need; covering expenses for a family facing terminal illness to go on a retreat; purchasing 10 computers to help new mothers pursue their education; adopting 22 families in need while clearing their holiday wish lists, helping out with rent, assisting with daycare costs, buying groceries, and much more. Leno and his wife, Jennifer, began this season’s campaign by announcing the launch of Paitynn’s Friends, which honors the daughter that they unexpectedly lost to miscarriage in October and will support those who have lost a sibling by providing care packages.

The winner will be announced at the NFLPA’s annual press conference in Las Vegas on Feb. 7. The winner receives an additional $100K donation to the charity of his choice.

Good luck to Charles Leno Jr.

Here’s what went wrong with Bills’ fake punt vs. Chiefs

A breakdown and explanation by the #Bills:

The Buffalo Bills tried to pull a fast one on the Kansas City Chiefs.

It did not work out.

Thankfully the Bills were not burned in the end. The Chiefs took over the ball in plus territory after Buffalo ran a fake punt on their own half of the field and Kansas City stopped it.

The Bills went on to take the ball back with a fumble, but what the heck happened? Why was that play called? How come didn’t it work?

We’ve got some insight and some breakdown, post 27-24 final.

Many thought the Bills had audibled into that trick play. On the game’s broadcast it was noted that the Chiefs only had 10 players on the field, not 11.

While that makes it look like Buffalo made the right call… and perhaps that is the case… it was not an audible. According to the Buffalo News, long snapper Reid Ferguson said that the play was going to be run all along, the Bills just happened to get that perfect look… but it completely blew up.

On fourth-and-5, defensive back Damar Hamlin barely carried the ball for two yards before the Chiefs stuffed him.

Buffalo head coach Sean McDermott said via video conference he wanted to roll the dice but it did not pay off.

“I just felt like we were having a hard time stopping them,” he said. “They were up three at the time and I wanted to be aggressive.”

On the Xs and Os front… the job just didn’t get done in the trenches. NFL’s Next Gen Stats show it: Kansas City beat Buffalo up front.

Don’t blame Hamlin, he never had a chance.

The Chiefs, with five players up front, rushed through the six the Bills had. The edge was set on the play, forcing Hamlin to carry the ball up the middle, and he was stuffed there too.

The graphic below shows Hamlin had nowhere to go:

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