The Buffalo Bills have re-signed safety Damar Hamlin to a one-year extension, the team announced Wednesday.
Originally a sixth-round pick by the Bills in 2021 NFL draft out of Pittsburgh, Hamlin began his career as a backup and special teams player. He had opportunities to start in 2022 due to team injuries, starting in 13 games, including a "Monday Night Football" game in Cincinnati on Jan. 2, 2023.
Hamlin, 26, experienced cardiac arrest during the game, but he recovered, was medically cleared to return to football and made the choice to continue playing. He served as a backup in 2023 as he worked his way back, both mentally and physically.
In 2024, Hamlin earned and maintained the starting job following the departures of veterans Jordan Poyer and Micah Hyde in the offseason. He started 14 games and did enough to keep the role, including recording the first two interceptions of his career.
Hamlin's impact has gone far beyond the football field. His Chasing M's Foundation received millions in the aftermath of his cardiac arrest through a GoFundMe drive. In the years since, with Chasing M's, Hamlin, the Bills, the NFL and countless others have done work to spread heart health awareness through the knowledge and use of CPR and AEDs, including through new legislation and CPR tours.
ESPN's Alaina Getzenberg contributed to this report.
