ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — Damar Hamlin’s previous highschool teammate clutched the ball he had simply intercepted, jogged to the 30-yard line, gingerly placed the pigskin on the high of the red-outlined “3,” raised his palms over his head and shaped them within the form of a coronary heart.
“I’m simply glad I bought an opportunity to go on the market and make a play and honor him the best way I did,” mentioned Hamlin’s buddy, Colts security Rodney Thomas II.
Thomas’ gesture may need been probably the most poignant second, nevertheless it was removed from the one shout-out to the Payments security on an NFL Sunday stuffed with love for a stricken participant whose influence is being felt throughout the nation.
Hamlin’s quantity — quantity “3” — was on show in all places throughout the league, outlined on 30-yard traces on fields, worn on particular patches on the Payments uniforms and featured on jackets and sweatshirts and even on red hearts dangling from the tailgate tents exterior the Payments residence stadium.
The best quantity of tribute poured in, naturally, from that car parking zone in Orchard Park, New York, the place Buffalo’s 35-23 victory over New England was punctuated by a 96-yard kickoff return for a landing by Nyheim Hines on the sport’s opening play.
“OMFG!!!!!!!!!!!!!,” Hamlin tweeted after the fast rating.
The security, whose recovery after his collapse on the field Monday evening in Cincinnati has overtaken each NFL story line, also shared a photo of himself making a coronary heart along with his palms from his hospital mattress shortly earlier than kickoff with the textual content “GAMETIME!!! @BuffaloBills.”
Earlier than that, within the lot exterior of Highmark Stadium, Ryan Magnuson stood in entrance of a 4-x-10-foot canvas greeting card that he positioned on the foot of the Payments stadium entrance for followers to signal. The message on the cardboard: “In the event you get an opportunity to point out some love immediately, do it. It received’t price you nothing” — a reprise of a tweet Hamlin sent again in 2021.
“It’s been very constructive. I’ve seen Payments followers, I’ve seen Patriots followers and other people carrying different NFL jerseys developing. I believe that is greater than a staff factor at this level,” Magnuson mentioned.
Fifteen-hundred miles away, and three hours later in Denver, the Chargers and Broncos every walked to the numbers and linked arms close to their respective sidelines earlier than the sport’s first snap whereas the No. 3s on each groups — Russell Wilson and Derwin James Jr. — met on the 50-yard-line, shook palms and kneeled in prayer.
Philly operating again Miles Sanders tweeted an image of himself, carrying a “Love For Damar” sweatshirt, and flashing the quantity “3” whereas FaceTiming with Hamlin from his hospital.
Not all was heat and fuzzy.
In Cincinnati, Bengals operating again Joe Mixon celebrated a landing by mimicking a coin flip — the likes of which might have occurred, per a late NFL contingency plan — to determine home-field benefit in a possible playoff sport between the Bengals and Ravens.
Cincinnati’s 27-16 win over the Ravens on Sunday staved off that risk. The Ravens will go to Cincy subsequent week within the wild-card spherical. However saying all is again to regular within the NFL this week, or for the upcoming playoffs, nonetheless appears like a little bit of a stretch.
The postseason is sure to be outfitted in “Love For Damar” sweatshirts and others embroidered with “Hamlin Robust,” the likes of which Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes wore throughout Saturday’s win over the Raiders. Some would possibly even put on shirts being sold by Hamlin himself, with proceeds going to first responders and the College of Cincinnati Medical Middle, the place he’s been since he collapsed on the sector and needed to have his heartbeat restored by medical employees final Monday.
It’s sure to be stuffed with reminders that the excessive stakes of those video games are about greater than a trophy to be awarded on the finish of the Tremendous Bowl.
It’s sure to really feel slightly bit off. If the Chiefs and Payments advance to the AFC title sport, as an example, that sport will likely be performed on a impartial discipline, in a metropolis nonetheless to be decided.
The guts of this league was beating most strongly in Buffalo on Sunday.
Within the huge parking tons circling the stadium, followers wore self-made shirts and jerseys honoring Hamlin.
Sue Sonner wore a former Payments quarterback EJ Manuel’s No. 3 jersey; her husband creatively lined over Manuel’s title and changed it with Hamlin’s.
“It’s going to be very emotional. I’m taking some tissues with me for positive,” mentioned Sonner, who’s from Corning, New York, and was additionally within the stadium in Cincinnati final Monday.
“We might see the scurry and the trauma and the panic and all of that. So very somber, very somber surroundings,” she mentioned. “Now that he’s progressing and we predict he’s going to be okay, now we’re excited to play soccer once more. And hopefully he’s on the street to restoration.”
AP Sports activities Writers Mitch Stacy in Cincinnati, Eddie Pells in Denver, Mike Marot in Indianapolis and AP freelance writers Lori Chase and Jonah Bronstein in Orchard Park contributed.
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