The first thing that came to mind for Bills safety Damar Hamlin when he woke up from a medically induced sedation following the cardiac arrest he suffered during Monday night’s game against the Bengals was, “Did we win?” Doctors at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center told Hamlin, who had scribbled the question on a piece of paper, that he did, in fact, win “the game of life.”
Those thoughts resonated with Patriots quarterback Mac Jones on Thursday, with New England set to play at Buffalo on Sunday in a game with potential playoff implications. Jones said he and the Patriots have been watching Hamlin’s condition closely.
“I think every update that we get in the locker room, everyone’s super excited to hear that each time, he’s doing better,” Jones told reporters. “We’re all super excited. Honestly, [that question] is pretty wild. You can tell that he’s a competitor, right? That’s the first thing he’s asking and all that. I think that’s who we are as people.
“We love the game of football and obviously I’m just so glad that he’s doing better, and his family, hopefully they can start talking with him and doing all that stuff. Really just, him and his family, prayers to them. Obviously, he’s a great competitor, and I hope he has a speedy recovery here. But all thoughts and prayers are with him and his family.”
Hamlin collapsed after he stood up following a collision with Bengals receiver Tee Higgins. He was revived on the field before being taken to the hospital, where he continues to be treated.
Following the 24-year-old’s life-threatening situation, donations poured into a GoFundMe that had been previously set up for Hamlin’s toy drive. It had a goal of $2,500 dollars and has already surpassed $6 million in donations.
Patriots owner Robert Kraft as well as several players are among those who have donated to the cause.
“I think it’s important to realize football is a game that brings people together,” Jones said, “and I think this is a great example of bringing not only our teams together, but the whole league — the whole world, really. The whole nation. I think it’s a really tough time, but you can see all the support for him and his family, and I really hope that he just continues to get better.”
The Patriots (8-8) and Bills (12-3) will meet in a critical Week 18 game — New England can clinch the No. 7 seed with a win. Regardless of the outcome, though, Jones says both teams will be playing for Hamlin.
“We’re all playing for him, right?” Jones said. “We all want to be out there and compete, and that’s what he does when he’s out there. He’s all over the tape. You see him making plays. It’s just tough to see that he’s hurt so bad, but at the end of the day, we’ve got to go out there and compete and just honor him on both sides of the ball.
“I obviously have respect for the Bills and everything that they’ve been through this past week. It’s really tough, obviously. We’re not in their situation, but we’re all in this together.”