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Damar Hamlin’s football career remains uncertain, but the Buffalo Bills have made a deal to take care of his immediate future.
The Bills safety collapsed on the field during their January 2 game against the Cincinnati Bengals after tackling wide receiver Tee Higgins, suffering what doctors later said was cardiac arrest. He spent days in a Cincinnati hospital while showing “remarkable” improvement, and was released on January 9.
The Bills placed Hamlin on injured reserve last week, but reportedly worked out a deal over the weekend to make sure his financial needs were met.
Bills Guarantee Damar Hamlin’s Contract
As NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport reported, Hamlin’s contract called for him to be paid at a lower rate if he were placed on injured reserve, but the Bills worked out an agreement with the NFL and NFL Players Association to make sure he was paid in full.
That meant a significant boost in his take-home pay.
“Damar Hamlin was set to earn $825K in 2022. His split rate if he’s on Injured Reserve is $455K,” Rapoport tweeted. “Placed on IR this week, that’s a difference of $20,555.56 [per week]. Buffalo worked it out so he’ll receive the whole thing, even though he’s not on the active roster.”
Hamlin was in the second year of his rookie contract after being drafted in the sixth round of the 2021 NFL Draft. After playing mostly on special teams and as a reserve in his rookie season, he moved into a significant role after injuries to All-Pro safeties Jordan Poyer and Micah Hyde. He started 13 games this season and ended the season third on the team with 91 tackles.
The team paid tribute to Hamlin throughout the week and during Sunday’s win over the New England Patriots, and Hamlin shared a message on Instagram thanking those who showed him support.
“When you put real love out into the world it comes back to you 3x’s as much,” Hamlin wrote on Instagram. “I’m thankful for every single person that prayed for me and reached out. We brung the world back together behind this. If you know me you know this only gone make me stronger. On a long road keep praying for me!”
Damar Hamlin Heading Back to Buffalo
Hamlin was able to take a major step in his recovery process on Monday, leaving the UC Medical Center and returning to Buffalo. The team released a statement on Twitter saying Hamlin was continuing to do well and moving onto the next stage in his recovery process.
Hamlin shared a message on social media saying it was “amazing” to see so many people come together to show him support over the weekend.