Bills safety Damar Hamlin danced with childhood teammate Miles Sanders before pregame warmups. The Eagles running back ran up to Hamlin, who was standing behind the end zone, and the two briefly danced before sharing a handshake and a hug.
It was a remarkable sight, given Hamlin went into cardiac arrest on the field in Cincinnati on Jan. 2.
First responders who saved Hamlin’s life, along with Hamlin, were recognized at midfield before Super Bowl LVII.
It is Hamlin’s third public appearance in Phoenix during Super Bowl week after he attended his team’s divisional round playoff loss to the Bengals.
NFL Players Association medical director Thom Mayer has guaranteed that Hamlin will play football again, and Hamlin was asked about returning to the field during a recorded interview with Michael Strahan on Fox.
“Eventually. That’s always the goal,” Hamlin told Strahan, via Alaina Getzenberg of the Buffalo News. “Like I said, as a competitor, I’m trying to do things just to keeping advancing my situation. But I’m allowing that to be in God’s hands. I’m just thankful he gave me a second chance.”
With 6:12 remaining in the first quarter of the Week 17 game, Hamlin tackled Bengals receiver Tee Higgins after a 13-yard reception. Replay showed Hamlin taking a hit to the chest. He stood up briefly before collapsing to the ground.
Strahan asked Hamlin if he remembers standing up.
“That’s something I don’t really want to get too deep in the details of,” Hamlin said. “That’s something I’m still trying to work through, you know, why that happened to me.”
