Buffalo Bills fans were thrilled Monday night when Damar Hamlin caught his first career interception as the Bills battled the Jacksonville Jaguars, only a year after nearly dying on the field from a cardiac arrest.
Hamlin became one of the most watched NFL players of the year in 2023 when he fell and nearly died during Monday Night Football. Medical attendants saved his life at the stadium, but he went into arrest a second time on the way to a local hospital. Still, he eventually made a full recovery and, soon enough, was welcomed back to the team.
Hamlin was gratified to be named a starter this season, and on Monday, his interception proved the Bills made a wise choice. With a little help from Hamlin, the team won the game 47-10.
Hamlin’s feat occurred during the second quarter when he intercepted a pass from Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence.
The interception soon led to another touchdown, as quarterback Josh Allen threw his third touchdown pass of the game after the turnover.
Hamlin has had a solid start this year and made ten tackles against the Miami Dolphins last week.
The return to form comes after a slow season last year when he returned to the team following his cardiac arrest. Last season, he only played a few games and was mostly relegated to special teams.
“I’m just living my process and my journey and mission in life one day at a time,” Hamlin told Fox News. “Being able to take my process one day at a time has truly been the biggest thing for me.”
The player said that he had a lot of anxiety as he launched his comeback after his frightening near-death experience.
“I just kind of had a lot of anxiety and adversity to overcome through it. That was a new process. But as far as being able to shift my focus to football, my focus has always been football because football is truly the thing I’m most passionate about.”
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