Damar Hamlin of the Buffalo Bills celebrates after an interception during the second quarter against the Jacksonville Jaguars in Orchard Park, New York, on Monday. (Bryan M. Bennett / Getty Images)
By Michael Schwarz September 24, 2024 at 6:32am
For Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin, the experience of God’s grace runs far deeper than most people can imagine.
Nine minutes into his team’s Monday Night Football clash with the Cincinnati Bengals on Jan. 2, 2023, Hamlin collapsed and nearly died on the field.
Thus, at a press conference on Monday night following his team’s 47-10 thrashing of the Jacksonville Jaguars, Hamlin praised God for allowing him to enjoy a Monday Night Football moment that broadcasters and social media users alike described as “incredible.”
“It’s all God right there,” Hamlin said of the opportunity to start a game on Monday night again.
“You know, I’ve been giving Him the praise like crazy lately because it wasn’t easy,” he added.
That 2023 game in Cincinnati was the last time Hamlin took the field with the defensive starters under the bright lights of Monday Night Football.
“We all know my last start on Monday Night Football and how that game went,” Hamlin told reporters moments earlier.
Readers may watch the entire post-game press conference below. Hamlin’s relevant comments began around the 2:40 mark.
Of course, God’s grace always exceeds what we deserve and often surprises us. Sometimes it seems that He wants us to witness His blessings as they unfold.
After all, how else could we explain the fact that in his first Monday night start since nearly dying on the field Hamlin also secured his first career interception?
With 4:13 remaining in the second quarter and Buffalo already leading, 20-3, Hamlin brought Bills fans to their feet when he secured an errant pass from Jacksonville quarterback Trevor Lawrence.
As the crowd roared, the ESPN announcers recognized the moment’s magnitude.
“How sweet is this moment here in Buffalo,” play-by-play announcer Chris Fowler said in a clip posted to the social media platform X.
“Walking miracle,” analyst Dan Orlovsky replied. “That’s an incredible moment for Damar Hamlin.”
The exuberant safety celebrated with teammates and then with fans as he ran toward his team’s sideline.
Damar Hamlin grabs his first career INT!
What a moment 👏#JAXvsBUF | ESPN pic.twitter.com/bwMIFg2rgg
— ESPN (@espn) September 24, 2024
Social media users echoed Orlovsky’s sentiments.
“Dude is a walking miracle,” one X user posted.
That Damar Hamlin pick was pretty awesome. Dude is a walking miracle. Incredible moment in Buffalo. #BillsMafia
— Allen Jenerette (@jenerette_allen) September 24, 2024
Damar Hamlin with a pick on Monday Night Football? Incredible
— Daniel Darling (@dandarling) September 24, 2024
Viewers who watched Hamlin collapse on the field in Cincinnati nearly 21 months ago undoubtedly remember it as one of the most frightening scenes ever to unfold on live television.
God not only spared the young man’s life, but also allowed him to continue his playing career.
Then, He gave a national television audience the privilege of witnessing Hamlin’s first career interception and the joy it brought.
The announcers and social media users had it right. Seeing God bring that kind of light from what looked like a moment of terrible darkness amounts to an incredible miracle.
Michael Schwarz holds a Ph.D. in History and has taught at multiple colleges and universities. He has published one book and numerous essays on Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, and the Early U.S. Republic. He loves dogs, baseball, and freedom. After meandering spiritually through most of early adulthood, he has rediscovered his faith in midlife and is eager to continue learning about it from the great Christian thinkers.
Michael Schwarz holds a Ph.D. in History and has taught at multiple colleges and universities. He has published one book and numerous essays on Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, and the Early U.S. Republic. He loves dogs, baseball, and freedom. After meandering spiritually through most of early adulthood, he has rediscovered his faith in midlife and is eager to continue learning about it from the great Christian thinkers.
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