Getty Tom Brady shared his thoughts about Damar Hamlin's miraculous recovery.
For all of the ways Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady has defied time, Damar Hamlin‘s medical emergency hit home.
“I want to say one thing,” Brady told co-host Jim Gray on the “Let’s Go!” podcast on Monday, January 9. “What did this last week teach us with what the brave and courageous Damar Hamlin went through? We’re not promised anything, none of us are, not one play. So just take it for what it is.”
Hamlin, a Buffalo Bills safety, collapsed on the field with cardia arrest during a January 2 game in Cincinnati. Medical personnel administered CPR and used a defibrillator before an ambulance transported to the University of Cincinnati Medical Center. After nearly a week of intensive medical care, prayers and support, Hamlin was discharged from the hospital and transferred to hospital in Buffalo.
“And a lot of those prayers are going to continue to flood Damar’s inbox because, what a courageous guy,” Brady told Gray.
Brady was among the many athletes and fans who expressed their desire to pray for Hamlin’s recovery on social media last week. Brady said he “never witnessed” an incident such as Hamlin’s in football before last week.
Tom Brady posted this to Instagram from locker room in pregame:
“It’s a lot of difficult emotions to deal with,” Brady said. “And I think that watching how everyone came together, made some difficult decisions, and the amazing care that he received and prayers that he deserved. It let a really bright light shine upon a very tough situation.”
“Hopefully, we can all learn. Hopefully we can turn it into a blessing, you know, one man’s very challenging life circumstance,” Brady added. “And I know that he’s going to continue to make great progress in his recovery.”
“And I hope I see him out there on the football field at some point in the future,” Brady concluded. “It will be very emotional for everyone.”
Brady Won’t Think About Future
Despite all the speculation on what Brady will do after the season, he took Hamlin’s incident as a stark reminder to focus on the present.
“[Football] means a lot because we put a lot into it, and it could be gone pretty quick,” Brady told Gray. “It could be gone for a 45-year-old … it could be gone for a 25-year-old, it could be gone for a 15-year-old. … It’s another thing that I’ve learned just from watching a very serious event kind of transpire, and then turn into something that brought a lot of us together.”
Brady, 45, could become a free agent, re-sign with the Bucs, or retire after the season. For now, he has playoff game up ahead against the Dallas Cowboys on January 16.
“And I’m not thinking about next (year) and this and that and this — no. We’ve got a chance to go practice, let’s be great at that, and that’s how I feel. That’s what we should all take from that, that’s the lesson we learned,” Brady told Gray.
Brady Praises Bills Trainers
Brady spoke highly of the Bills training staff member Denny Kellington, who was recognized for administering CPR to Hamlin, and the Bills trainers for their quick response to save Hamlin’s life. Brady hopes it will impact sports on all level when it comes to athletes’ safety.
“They were prepared, and you can just see how the preparation paid off,” Brady told Gray. “It was amazing to see them honored as they should be.”
“Let’s not take anything for granted,” Brady added. “Let’s just do our best and do things you love to do as well. We’re not promised much, we’re not promised anything, and nothing’s forever, so we’ve just got to continue to do our very best however we can.”
“And when you have the chance to run in to help people, do that too,” Brady concluded.