Buffalo Bills Players Can’t Wait to ‘Love Up On’ Hamlin After Health Update

But to learn that Hamlin was writing messages and holding hands with loved ones just three days after coming close to losing his life on the field, Allen said, “There’s nothing you could have told us to bring our day down after that.”

Allen said he and his teammates were looking forward to reuniting with Hamlin so they can “love up on him.”

McDermott, who has made players’ mental well-being a priority of his coaching style, said after the Bills returned from Cincinnati that there were impromptu team meetings and counselors available for players and staff.

“Mental health is real,” McDermott said. “The health and well-being of your staff and your players is the No. 1 job of a coach in this situation.”

Allen said he invited all his teammates to his home this week, and those who joined him prayed and spent time together to decompress and talk about Hamlin.

Bills cornerback Dane Jackson, who also played with Hamlin at the University of Pittsburgh, said the two men share a special bond. Before every game, Jackson said, he and Hamlin usually found each other on the sidelines, where they would hug and tell each other, “I love you.”

It was a tradition that Jackson thought of frequently after he experienced a frightening neck injury during Week 2 of this season. As he was being loaded into an ambulance, one voice stood out among all his teammates, he said. It was Hamlin’s.

“He said, ‘I love you, D-Jack,’” Jackson said. He looks forward to reuniting with his friend, so he can relay the same message.

Article source: https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/06/sports/football/damar-hamlin-bills-update.html