Damar Hamlin Bio
Damar Romeyelle Hamlin is an American professional football safety for the Buffalo Bills of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Pittsburgh Panthers and was selected by the Bills in the sixth round of the 2021 NFL draft. Hamlin spent most of his rookie season as a backup before becoming a starter in 2022 following a season-ending injury to Micah Hyde.
During a Monday Night Football game against the Cincinnati Bengals on January 2, 2023, Hamlin suffered a cardiac arrest after making a tackle, and he was hospitalized in critical condition. He was released from the hospital nine days later and eventually returned to professional football, earning recognition for his resilience and community work.
Early Life and Background
Damar Romeyelle Hamlin was born on March 24, 1998, in McKees Rocks, Pennsylvania, USA. He was raised in the same tight-knit community near Pittsburgh that would later become central to his charitable efforts. Standing 6 feet 0 inches tall and listed at 200 pounds, Hamlin developed into a standout athlete during his formative years in western Pennsylvania.
Hamlin attended Central Catholic High School in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where he excelled on the football field. He was named first-team All-State and was recognized as the Class AAAA Defensive Player of the Year, signaling his potential as a college-level defensive back. His high school success drew attention from major college football programs across the country.
Considered a top cornerback prospect coming out of Central Catholic, Hamlin was rated as a four-star recruit. He received scholarship offers from programs including Pittsburgh, Penn State, Ohio State, and Temple before ultimately committing to stay close to home.
Path to American Football
Hamlin selected the Pittsburgh Panthers and enrolled at the University of Pittsburgh in 2016. He appeared in four games as a true freshman before suffering an injury that earned him a medical redshirt exception for that season. The setback delayed his development but did not derail his trajectory.
As a redshirt freshman in 2017, Hamlin returned to action by week three and transitioned to the safety position. He recorded 41 tackles and one interception in nine games, showing the range and instincts that would define his career. By his redshirt sophomore season in 2018, he had become a leader of the Panthers’ secondary, tallying 77 tackles and two interceptions and earning honorable mention All-Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) recognition.
Hamlin continued to produce at a high level, registering 84 tackles and 10 passes broken up in 2019. In his final college season in 2020, he served as a team captain and was named Second-team All-ACC after leading the Panthers with 66 tackles and seven passes broken up. He also earned ACC Co-Defensive Back of the Week honors for his performance against Virginia Tech on November 21, 2020. Hamlin earned a bachelor’s degree in communication from the University of Pittsburgh.
Damar Hamlin Career
Early Career (2021)
The Buffalo Bills selected Damar Romeyelle Hamlin in the sixth round with the 212th overall pick of the 2021 NFL draft. He signed his four-year rookie contract with Buffalo on May 21, 2021, beginning his professional career in upstate New York. As a reserve safety, Hamlin spent most of his rookie season learning the NFL game behind established veterans.
Across 14 games played in 2021, Hamlin tallied two tackles and two pass breakups while contributing on special teams. His limited statistical output reflected his role as a developmental backup rather than a featured defender.
Buffalo Bills Breakthrough (2022)
Hamlin became one of Buffalo’s starting safeties in 2022 after Micah Hyde suffered a season-ending neck injury in Week 2. The promotion thrust him into a larger responsibility on a defense built around star pass-rusher Von Miller and quarterback Josh Allen on the offensive side of the ball.
Against the New York Jets in Week 9, Hamlin led the team with 12 tackles and a sack in a 20–17 loss, demonstrating his range as a run-defender and pass-rusher. In Week 13 against the New England Patriots, he was ejected after an illegal hit on Jakobi Meyers in the 24–10 win, an incident that underscored his aggressive playing style.
Hamlin’s 2022 season was cut short on January 6, 2023, when he was placed on injured reserve after collapsing during a Week 17 Monday Night Football game against the Cincinnati Bengals. The tackle of wide receiver Tee Higgins on January 2, 2023, at 8:56 p.m. EST resulted in cardiac arrest, leading to on-field CPR and AED treatment. Hamlin was later confirmed to have suffered commotio cordis, an extremely rare condition in which cardiac rhythm is disrupted by a blow to the chest during a specific 40-millisecond window of the heart’s electrical cycle.
Buffalo Bills Era (2023–Present)
Hamlin was discharged from the University of Cincinnati Medical Center on January 9, 2023, and continued his recovery in Buffalo before being released from Buffalo General Medical Center/Gates Vascular Institute two days later. On April 18, 2023, Bills general manager Brandon Beane confirmed that Hamlin was fully cleared to return to the NFL, and the safety announced his intention to continue playing football.
Hamlin played his first NFL snap since the cardiac arrest on August 12, 2023, in the Bills’ preseason opener against the Las Vegas Raiders. He was activated for the first regular-season game on October 1, 2023, against the Miami Dolphins, playing 18 snaps exclusively on special teams. On November 13, 2023, he played his first defensive snaps and recorded his first tackle since the incident against the Denver Broncos. In the Divisional Round playoff game against the Kansas City Chiefs, Hamlin executed a direct snap during a fake punt attempt, carrying the ball for two yards.
After Buffalo parted ways with starting safeties Micah Hyde and Jordan Poyer, Hamlin started at safety in the 2024 Week 1 game against the Arizona Cardinals, marking his first start since the cardiac arrest. In Week 3, he recorded his first career interception in a 47–10 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars, and he was named a first alternate for the 2025 Pro Bowl Games. On March 12, 2025, Hamlin re-signed with the Bills on a one-year, $2 million contract. After suffering a pectoral injury in practice, he was placed on injured reserve on October 11, 2025.
Driving Style and Strengths
Hamlin is recognized for his versatility in the secondary, with the ability to play deep coverage, support the run, and contribute on special teams. His communication degree from Pittsburgh reflects an understanding of pre-snap reads and defensive scheming that complements his athletic tools. His physicality at the line of scrimmage and willingness to support run fits have been central to his role with the Bills.
Notable Events and Milestones
Hamlin’s on-field cardiac arrest on January 2, 2023, became one of the most-watched sports incidents of the decade and prompted league-wide responses, including all 32 NFL teams changing their Twitter profile pictures to display his jersey number and the words “Pray For Damar.” On May 15, 2023, he received the George Halas Award from the Pro Football Writers of America for overcoming the most adversity to succeed. He was also honored to present the Pat Tillman Award to the Buffalo Bills training staff at the ESPY awards ceremony on July 12, 2023, and he met with President Joe Biden at the White House to support the Access to AEDs Act.
Damar Hamlin Career Wins
While team success in the NFL is measured collectively, Hamlin has contributed to multiple Buffalo Bills playoff runs, including the 2022 season and the Divisional Round appearance in January 2024 against the Kansas City Chiefs. His first career interception in 2024 against the Jacksonville Jaguars stands as a personal milestone, and he has accumulated verified regular-season statistics of 185 total tackles, 1.5 sacks, 9 pass deflections, 2 interceptions, 1 forced fumble, and 1 fumble recovery.
Buffalo Bills Highlights
Hamlin made his first NFL start of the post-cardiac arrest era in Week 1 of 2024 against the Arizona Cardinals. He earned a first-alternate selection to the 2025 Pro Bowl Games after a steady 2024 campaign. He re-signed with the Bills in March 2025 on a one-year contract and remained a key part of the team’s secondary depth chart until a pectoral injury sent him to injured reserve in October 2025.
Other Wins & Performances
Hamlin was named Second-team All-ACC in 2020 after leading the Pittsburgh Panthers with 66 tackles and seven passes broken up. He was also recognized as the Class AAAA Defensive Player of the Year in Pennsylvania during his high school career at Central Catholic.
Damar Hamlin Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Damar Romeyelle Hamlin was raised in McKees Rocks, Pennsylvania, the community where he has continued to host annual charity toy drives since 2020 through the Chasing M’s Foundation. His connection to western Pennsylvania and his Pittsburgh-area education remain central to his personal identity off the field.
Personal Life
Hamlin earned a bachelor’s degree in communication from the University of Pittsburgh and is a fashion entrepreneur who started the fashion line Chasing Millions while in college. In 2025, he made guest cameos as himself in two Hallmark Channel original films, Holiday Touchdown: A Bills Love Story and The More the Merrier. Following the cardiac arrest, Hamlin announced that he and the Chasing M’s Foundation would fund ten $1,000 scholarships for under-served young people in the Cincinnati area to cover the costs of attending private high school or a local trade school or university, with each scholarship named after a member of the UC medical staff that contributed to his recovery.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 season represented a continuation of Hamlin’s comeback with the Buffalo Bills after his re-signing on March 12, 2025, on a one-year, $2 million contract. He remained part of the safety rotation under the new defensive structure following the departures of Micah Hyde and Jordan Poyer. His prior 2024 production, including his first career interception, established him as a trusted rotational defender.
Hamlin’s 2025 campaign was disrupted when he suffered a pectoral injury in practice and was placed on injured reserve on October 11, 2025. The setback paused his on-field contributions but did not change his long-term standing with the franchise.
Looking ahead, Hamlin’s outlook remains positive as he recovers from the pectoral injury and continues his community work through the Chasing M’s Foundation. With a contract running through 2026, he remains a respected veteran presence in the Bills’ secondary heading into the next phase of his career.
