Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin has turned his near-death experience into a campaign to help others, and now he’s nominated for a big honor because of it.
Hamlin had long been involved in charitable endeavors, but expanded his work after the 2023 injury that put him into cardiac arrest during a game against the Cincinnati Bengals. As Hamlin returns to the Bills and aims to fight for a spot on the roster, he is also nominated for an honor for his humanitarian efforts.
Damar Hamlin Nominated for Major Honor
Hamlin took to Instagram this week to announce that he was a finalist for the Muhammad Ali Sports Humanitarian Award. The award is part of ESPN’s Humanitarian Awards, a group of honors for athletes and other sports figures.
In an announcement, ESPN noted that the Muhammad Ali Humanitarian Award is for athletes who have a strong impact on their communities.
“The Muhammad Ali Sports Humanitarian Award is given to an athlete whose continuous, demonstrated leadership has created a measured positive impact on their community through sports,” the press release noted. “The candidate must embrace the core principles that Muhammad Ali embodied so well, including confidence, conviction, dedication, giving and respect.”
The other nominees for the award include Adam Thielen and Stephen Curry.
Hamlin has founded the Chasing Ms Foundation, which benefits children and has made strides to address heart health.
“Since experiencing cardiac arrest on January 2, 2023, my family and I have been blessed by good wishes, prayers, donations, and support from people around the world. I have been honored to give back by leading my charity, Chasing M’s Foundation,” Hamlin shared on the charity’s website. “Together, we have created a movement to save lives, protect kids, and empower lasting change. When it comes to giving back, we are just getting started.”
Damar Hamlin Facing Competition for Bills Roster Spot
Hamlin has carved out a spot on the Bills’ roster thanks to his special teams play and steady presence as a reserve safety, but is expected to face tough competition for his job this summer. The team brought on some new additions to their safety room, including free agents C.J. Gardner-Johnson and Geno Stone.
The Athletic’s Joe Buscaglia predicted that the Bills could move on from Hamlin, especially after the relatively small investment they made to bring him back on a new one-year contract.
“There are a lot of names at the safety spot, even without including Hancock. Bishop and Gardner-Johnson are extremely likely to be the starting duo if healthy,” Buscgalia wrote. “Being a fifth-round draft pick works in Kilgore’s favor in making the 53-man roster as a rookie.
“Franklin will be on the team for special teams. After that, expect a legitimate competition between Stone and Hamlin to make the roster outright. Based on guaranteed money, Stone ($187,500) has the edge over Hamlin ($25,000).”
But Hamlin has faced similar predictions in recent seasons, yet still found a way to remain on the team due to his solid contributions in two phases of the game.
Bills Safety Damar Hamlin Makes Career Announcement as Season Nears