Buffalo Bills security One of the scariest incidents in sports history involved Damar Hamlin.
Hamlin went into cardiac arrest on the field on January 2, 2023, during a Monday Night Football game between the Buffalo Bills and the Cincinnati Bengals. Before being transferred to a nearby hospital to recuperate, Hamlin needed his heartbeat to be restarted on the pitch.Amazingly, throughout the ensuing weeks and months, Hamlin shown notable progress, enabling him to rejoin his favourite sport for the 2023 campaign.
In the end, Hamlin made his 2023 debut against the Miami Dolphins in a game during Week 4. Following that, he dressed for two more games: Week 12 against the Philadelphia Eagles and Week 10 against the Denver Broncos.
Before the 2023 season began, most people predicted that Hamlin would take home the NFL’s Comeback Player of the Year trophy, which is awarded at the conclusion of the campaign. He was the clear favourite going into the year. However, he was ultimately not awarded the prize.
Instead, in an unexpected upset, it went to Cleveland Browns quarterback Joe Flacco, who came out of semi-retirement to help his team into the playoffs.In the middle of a postseason race, Flacco was thrown into the fire as soon as he signed with the Browns in December. As the Browns finished with a 4-1 record and a spot in the AFC Wild Card round as the No. 5 seed, he completed his throwing career with 1,616 yards and 13 touchdowns.
Hamlin initially felt he deserved the NFL Comeback Player of the Year award over Flacco due to his competitive nature, despite Flacco ultimately winning. However, Hamlin expressed support for Flacco and emphasized that his own comeback was more meaningful to him on a personal and spiritual level, beyond the recognition of a trophy. He acknowledged the bigger blessings in his life and trusted in God’s plan for both his and Flacco’s journeys.