Damar Hamlin is staying with the Buffalo Bills. Going into his fifth season, the safety agreed to a one-year contract with the team, which officially announced the deal on Wednesday. Financial details of the deal have not been reported.
Hamlin, who will turn 27 on March 24, started 14 games for the Bills last season. He registered 89 total tackles, two interceptions and two tackles for loss last season.
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The safety will forever be a part of Buffalo sports lore with one of the most hauntingly memorable moments in recent sports history. It’s difficult to imagine Hamlin ever playing in another team’s uniform because of it.
In 2023, during the Bills’ Week 17 matchup versus the Cincinnati Bengals, Hamlin tackled receiver Tee Higgins and following the play, he collapsed to the turf. Trainers quickly took the field to administer CPR to Hamlin and eventually had to use a defibrillator as Hamlin suffered cardiac arrest.
After being released from the hospital, Hamlin spent the offseason recovering from the trauma and eventually worked his way back into football shape. He made his 2023-24 season debut in Week 4 versus the Miami Dolphins and went on to appear in five games.
An awesome moment to watch Bills safety Damar Hamlin huddle with his teammates before taking the field for his first regular-season game. Hamlin was a healthy scratch the first three games — but will have a key role on special teams today. pic.twitter.com/PyfOiouJ0Z
— Jeff Darlington (@JeffDarlington) October 1, 2023
Hamlin rejoins a newly revitalized Bills defense that has added defensive end Joey Bosa, defensive tackle Larry Ogunjobi and safety Darrick Forrest in free agency, while also re-signing edge rusher Greg Rousseau and linebacker Terrel Bernard.
For his career, Hamlin has appeared in 48 games (starting 27). He’s compiled 184 career tackles and two interceptions, nine passes defensed and two tackles for loss. Hamlin was Buffalo’s sixth-round selection (No. 212 overall) in the 2019 NFL Draft out of Pittsburgh.
