“Did we win?” was Damar Hamlin’s first question after he woke up from a 48-hour medically induced coma. For a 24-year-old guy who’d just suffered a cardiac arrest, his devotion to the game even left his doctors in awe. “Yes, Damar, you won the game of life,” they had responded back. Having suffered a cruel case of commodio cordis—a very rare condition where the heart’s rhythm is disrupted—things didn’t look too good for the Buffalo Bills safety. His return to the gridiron seemed like a distant dream at best…

However, just 11 days later, on January 13, 2023, he was discharged with a miraculous recovery, and in less than two years, he was back on the roster. So, of course, by popular opinion, Hamlin was guaranteed to win the 2023 AP Comeback Player of the Year. Unfortunately though, former Cleveland Browns quarterback Joe Flacco received the NFL honor in February 2024—a decision heavily criticized in the community as expected. As Sports Illustrated‘s Chris Pironne put it, “Joe Flacco came back from lounging on his couch. Buffalo Bills’ safety Damar Hamlin came back from the dead. They are not the same.” 

Even veteran journalist Peter King was of the same opinion. “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,” he wrote on the Football Morning in America column. For the unversed, Flacco had earned the award after leading the Cleveland Browns into the playoffs while playing in just five regular-season games. But that still didn’t stand anywhere near the kind of comeback Hamlin gave, did it?

Well, that was very evident in Flacco’s own reaction, too. “I felt a little bit weird about getting that, but at this point in my career, I’m like, ‘Whatever, dude, give me that,'” he had said while laughing on the Pat McAfee Show. Hamlin, on the other hand, handled it with as much grace as he possibly could.“When I heard some people were in uproar, but you know, nah. I did at first, not gonna lie. I did a little bit just because, you know, I’m a competitor myself, you know, in any competition you put me in, I [want to] win.

“But, you know, I clapped for Joe as he went on stage and I clapped for him as he went off, you know, at this point in my life, you know, it’s truly God’s plan. So you know, God had a reason for, you know, God had a reason for him getting that trophy. God had a reason for him going out with it and, you know, I don’t want to discredit that any and I truly feel with my journey, my comeback, per se, it wasn’t the world, it wasn’t a worldly thing. It wasn’t something that you know a trophy can define.” But that doesn’t mean it doesn’t sting anymore. Bills’ quarterback Josh Allen is still ticked off…

The 28-year-old met with the media following practice on Friday after Hamlin was announced as a Comeback Player of theyear finalist again, when a reporter asked, “I’m not sure if Damar cares about being a finalist for Comeback Player of the Year again, because of what he’s done, what he’s accomplished this season on the field and proved that he is a starter. What do you make of him, what he’s done this year?”

It’s as if Allen had his answer ready…“It’s been unbelievable. He should have won that award last year. So that’s how we feel about it. I think that’s how everyone here feels about it. But his play on the field, it’s been awesome. He’s made some huge plays for us and we’re going to need him as well as everybody on Sunday.” That’s a valid complaint.

In 2023, Damar Hamlin won the George Halas Award with his medical staff winning Pat Tillman Award for his impressive recovery back to the gridiron. But he had limited participation in their 2023 campaign. In 5 games, he only had 2 solo tackles. However, that has changed this year. In 2024, he recorded 2 interceptions, 1 fumble recovery, 5 defended passes, and 89 tackles (62 solo). This impressive performance might have forced the league to include his name for the major honor. Damar Hamlin has also thanked the medical staff and his numerous trainer teams for helping him get back to his football form.

On January 2, 2025, the second anniversary of the day when he suffered cardiac arrest, he took the Bills’ training staff to a dinner, showing his appreciation for the work they do. That’s truly heartwarming. But Josh Allen understands it’s time to focus on something else. The AFC Championship game against the Chiefs. It’s 2 days away.

Not only the safety, even the Bills QB has secured a major honor, by being an AP Most Valuable Player Finalist. But he is more concerned about the injuries. They need their players to be fully fit.

Josh Allen navigates through the injured locker room before the AFC game

While the HC Sean McDermott had claimed they would look into safety Taylor Rapp’s injury on a day-to-day basis, he is out of the game now. Another blow to the defense came from their CB Christian Benford, who was dealing with a concussion. He practiced on Wednesday and Thursday, but stayed away on Friday. His injury status is ‘questionable’ for the game. That’s why Josh Allen called upon Damar Hamlin and others to be on the top of their game.

Hamlin also suffered a rib injury against the Ravens. But has been a full participant in the training sessions on consecutive days, starting Wednesday. That’s a huge sign that he would be ready to battle the back-to-back Super Bowl winners. It would also help increase the locker room morale.

However, most fans believe that Josh Allen would be the key factor in the AFC Championship game. He has to perform at his best capacity if the Bills want to enter the Super Bowl after 3 decades. And being the dual-threat quarterback that he is, anything can happen. It would be a rush of adrenaline at the Arrowhead. Stay tuned. We’ll keep bringing stories for you.