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Like everyone in the NFL, the Detroit Lions were watching when Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamilton’s medical emergency played out in real-time on Monday Night Football in Week 17.
Returning from its usual Tuesday off day, the team broke its silence in a powerful way on the matter on Wednesday, January 4.
Opening up his press conference, Dan Campbell started with a statement on the situation. As he said, everyone involved with the team is sending their thoughts to Hamlin and the Buffalo Bills at this moment in time.
“Our thoughts and prayers go out to him and everybody that’s involved in that including his teammates and coaches. We’re wishing him the best. It’s tough, but it sounds like there’s some good news trending bit by bit. But, he’s in our thoughts and prayers,” Campbell said on January 4.
In terms of what the team did in response themselves, Campbell said simply that the Lions took time out to say a team prayer and try to center their thoughts, given emotions can be tough to channel during a confusing time.
“We started with a prayer. We had Sean Pugh come up and all of the room came together, did that and then we moved on. We just felt like that was the best thing to do. It was the right thing to do. When you don’t have words and there’s really nothing – what to say, how to say it, there’s waves of emotion – that’s the best thing. So we did that and that’s where we left it,” Campbell told the media.
It’s clear by Campbell’s response that even though the Lions weren’t directly involved, it was not simply business as usual for the team as they prepare for a critical Week 18 regular-season finale in Green Bay.
Hamlin’s injury has definitely cast a pall over the league, and Campbell’s ability to deal with that within his own team to channel their emotions is very important at this time.
Lions Organization Send Social Media Message to Bills
Campbell wasn’t the only one who was sharing a thoughtful response about a tough situation. The franchise as a whole led by example with regard to this, and put out a tweet to Hamlin and the Bills franchise on Monday.
The Lions and Bills share a close bond. The two franchises share proximity through the Great Lakes and also have been connected through the years. Former Bills owner Ralph Wilson was born in Detroit, and the sides have played plenty of preseason contests in the past, in some cases annually.
Additionally, the Lions have hosted Buffalo before at Ford Field when threatening blizzards have prevented games in Orchard Park, New York. In 2014, Detroit hosted a Buffalo contest vs. the New York Jets, a 38-3 win for the Bills. Just this season, the Lions also hosted the Bills for a contest against Cleveland, a 31-23 Buffalo win. As a result, the Bills sent them breakfast and a donation to the Lions foundation.
It’s clear the bond between the organizations may only be strengthened by these words and gestures in a time of crisis.
Lions Players Share Thoughts With Damar Hamlin
The NFL brotherhood is a tight community, and many Lions players were shaken by the situation, including rookie James Houston. The pass rusher put things very simply, tweeting a praying hands emoji with the number three.
Defensive tackle Isaiah Buggs echoed that sentiment in a big way, saying in the moment that folks should be offering their prayers to Hamlin.
“Everybody Needs To Go In Prayer For This Man,” Buggs tweeted.
As Lions’ defensive lineman Aidan Hutchinson admitted, prayers were the best thing that could be offered up at a difficult time such as this.
“Prayers for Damar and his family,” he tweeted.
Jerry Jacobs, a defensive back like Hamlin, sent his prayers in real-time as well.
“Prayers up D Ham,” Jacobs tweeted.
Perhaps one of the best overall perspectives after the fact, though, was shared by Detroit wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown. Speaking on The 33rd Team on a show with his brother, St. Brown took the floor before the end of his show and offered some lengthy thoughts.
“Before we leave, I know you saw it. I was actually watching the game. I saw the play. It was horrible man. I just want to send my thoughts to his family, his teammates, everyone that knows him. I know that’s a horrible situation. I was up all night last night watching the Monday Night (Football) broadcast. I thought they did a great job talking about him, his family. Focusing on him and not the game. Hopefully everything’s alright. I just want to send my thoughts to him and his family,” St. Brown said on the show.
It’s clear the Lions players were just as impacted by the tragedy as everyone in the league and the world. It seems Campbell struck the right chords with his response to help the team move on as best they can from a league tragedy.
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