What to find out about Payments security Damar Hamlin

Henry McKenna

AFC East Reporter

Buffalo Payments security Damar Hamlin is in important situation at a Cincinnati hospital after going into cardiac arrest throughout his staff's sport in opposition to the Bengals on Monday night time.

The on-site medical employees instantly attended to Hamlin, who required CPR on the sector. His heartbeat was restored. An ambulance then transported Hamlin to UC Medical Heart the place he was sedated to endure additional exams and proceed remedy.

Following the incident, Payments and Bengals gamers left the sector — a lot of them overwhelmed with emotion. The NFL postponed the sport later Monday night and the Payments flew again to Buffalo, arriving early Tuesday morning.

Right here is a few background on Hamlin, a 24-year-old in his second season with Buffalo.

The place did he develop up?

Hamlin grew up in McKees Rocks, Pa., a city that’s a 15-minute drive from downtown Pittsburgh. He attended Central Catholic Excessive College in Pittsburgh.

Hamlin lately mentioned the significance of his household, together with his youthful brother, Damir, and oldsters, Mario and Nina. 

"I am large on my household unit. My mother, my dad, my little brother — that is just about my complete world. .... Some other factor occurring in my life revolves round them," Hamlin advised Payments staff reporter Maddy Glab in December. "I don’t actually do an excessive amount of with out my mother and pa’s opinion, whether or not I take it or whether or not I don’t. However I simply wish to hear it. That’s simply how I used to be raised."

Hamlin and his household handled an incredible quantity of adversity in McKees Rocks. To be taught extra about their story, learn this from the Democrat and Chronicle.

How will you present help to his household?

Hamlin has a charity, and within the wake of his collapse on the sector, his household and representatives have inspired individuals to contribute to his group toy drive, which has raised greater than $4 million on the time of publication.

"This marketing campaign provides you the chance to contribute to our first initiative and positively influence kids who've been hardest-hit by the pandemic. 100% of the funds raised will go towards the acquisition of toys for youths in want," reads an announcement on the Go Fund Me web page.

The place did he go to school?

Hamlin attended the College of Pittsburgh, the place he earned his bachelor’s diploma in communication and pursued a second main in sociology. 

Hamlin enrolled at Pitt in 2016 and performed 13 video games over his first two seasons with the Panthers. Accidents saved him off the sector. Throughout his freshman yr, he underwent three completely different surgical procedures.

In 2018, his breakout season, he began all 14 video games at security. He recorded a team-high 90 tackles and tied the staff excessive for interceptions with two. He remained a key participant on the protection by 2020 when he once more logged essentially the most tackles on the staff (67) and added two extra interceptions with seven cross breakups.

He was a second-team All-ACC performer as a senior, was voted a staff captain and picked to play within the Senior Bowl.

He attracted the curiosity of the Payments in the course of the pre-draft course of regardless of the staff already having Professional Bowl safeties in Micah Hyde and Jordan Poyer.

"Me and my household, all of us seen it as the right alternative to [land with the Bills]," Hamlin stated. "To have the ability to are available in and be taught — as a result of some rookies have the strain of getting to get on the market instantly, and so they may burn their wick quick as a result of they may not be prepared for his or her second — so it’s like … to have the ability to have the chance to take a seat behind two All-Professional safeties, be taught the system, see what they do properly and see why they do it properly, I’ve seen it as one thing that may propel me even additional than the place I may’ve seen myself going."

What has his NFL journey been like?

Buffalo drafted Hamlin within the sixth spherical in 2021. And whereas it’s no certain factor that late-round picks make the roster, he spent his rookie season engaged on particular groups and sometimes getting onto the sector for defensive snaps. 

This season, Hyde suffered a neck damage in Week 2, which elevated Hamlin right into a beginning function. He has performed 86% of the staff’s defensive snaps and has 91 tackles, second-most on the staff, and 1.5 sacks, two cross breakups and one compelled fumble.

Hamlin has been a pure match on the Payments' prime unit.

"My fundamental focus going right into a sport is trusting my instincts," Hamlin stated in December. "I watch movie all week. I received my reps in follow all week. I’ve seen it. I do know what’s coming. And that’s my fashion of play. I prefer to play chess. I exploit my intuition to make performs and be in the precise spot, in order that’s my focus. I’m utilizing my instincts to attempt to play free."

He loves trend and began his personal clothes model

Throughout his freshman yr at Pitt, Hamlin grew discouraged by accidents and surgical procedures and felt like he won't have a future in soccer. 

So, he started to pursue different passions, which included trend. That’s when he began his personal clothes model: Chasin M.

"Issues rotated, and I simply saved it going so far as the clothes, so it’s one thing that simply takes me away from the sport," Hamlin stated. "You understand how the sport provides you that completely satisfied place on the sector? [My clothing brand] is one thing else that simply let’s me detox from soccer, but additionally takes me to that completely satisfied place to the place I’m nonetheless centered and nonetheless locked in."

Previous to becoming a member of FOX Sports activities because the AFC East reporter, Henry McKenna spent seven years protecting the Patriots for USA TODAY Sports activities Media Group and Boston Globe Media. Observe him on Twitter at @McKennAnalysis.

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