Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin discussed his “unbreakable” mindset following his near-fatal incident on the field last year, and said before Thursday night’s tilt against the Dolphins that he wanted to be remembered for his on-field play, not his tragic incident.
It looks like he may just get what he wished for – after he delivered a tackle that nearly broke Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa.
During a Monday Night Football game on January 2, 2023, Hamlin famously suffered a cardiac arrest after making a tackle against the Cincinnati Bengals.
Immediate medical attention was provided on the field, including CPR, before he was rushed to the hospital, where he was treated and eventually made a remarkable recovery.
Hamlin earned the starting safety role before the season started and in an interview with NFL Media declared he wanted to be known for the things he does on and off the field going forward.
“I don’t want to be just known as the player who lived,” he said. “My story is my story. It’s still being written. But I want to be known for my abilities as well. I’ve always had big goals on and off the field.”
“I have so much more that I want to accomplish.”
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Damar Hamlin Knocks Tua Tagovailoa Out With Concussion
Let’s be clear here – Damar Hamlin did absolutely nothing wrong with his play in the Thursday night game against the Dolphins.
But, in an ironic twist, after declaring he wants to be known for his on-field exploits, Hamlin delivered a tackle late in the third quarter that knocked Miami quarterback Tua Tagovailoa out of the game.
“I was just trying to make a routine tackle, trying to get them off the field on fourth down,” Hamlin said, via Tim Graham of TheAthletic.com.
It ended up being the scariest moment we’ve seen thus far in the young NFL season. Tua seems to provide these on a semi-regular basis.
Tagovailoa ended up on the ground in what is known as the ‘fencing posture’ a reflexive motion signaling a concussion. He was able to walk off the field under his own power, but medical staff diagnosed him with a concussion within minutes.
The Miami star has a history of brain injuries, having suffered three concussions during the 2022 season alone. As such, the speculation has already been rampant that Tua’s career might realistically be over.
Hamlin Says He Feels ‘Unbreakable’
Following the game, Damar Hamlin wished Tua Tagovailoa a “speedy recovery” and noted his own hard work in dealing with trauma that happens on the field.
“I’m able to not be affected by it because of the work that I’ve done. I went through trauma therapy. I have a psychologist I talk to,” he said. “It’s allowed me to push my mind forward, push my process forward.”
“I did the hard stuff last year as far as putting the pads on, tackling, getting game-ready to know that I’m now perfectly fine and perfectly able to go back and play.”
Prior to the game, he hinted at a feeling of invincibility on the field.
“I’m in the process of making my story history,” Hamlin said. “I feel unbreakable.”
The collision with Tagovailoa should remind both players that nobody is unbreakable. Tua’s situation is becoming scarier each time he plays, especially with what we now know regarding CTE.
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