The Buffalo Bills came to an agreement with the NFL and the Players Association to ensure Damar Hamlin is paid his full salary after he was placed on Injured Reserve following his cardiac arrest.
During the Bills’ crucial regular season contest against the Cincinnati Bengals on Monday, Hamlin collapsed to the turf midway through the first quarter after he tackled receiver Tee Higgins. The 24-year-old had to be revived on the field amid worrying scenes before he was rushed to the University of Cincinnati hospital.
The match was quickly suspended with players clearly unable to continue while there was a tremendous outpouring of support for Hamlin and his family as news filtered through regarding the severity of his condition. Physicians at UCMC revealed Hamlin awoke on Thursday morning while he spoke to his family, care team and Buffalo teammates on FaceTime on Friday.
Bills head coach Sean McDermott said Hamlin gestured to the team, flexing to the pleasure of his teammates. He also thanked many NFL figures for reaching out to the organisation amid the troubling time, including New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick - McDermott’s opposite number on Sunday.
Ahead of the final match of the season, the Bills placed Hamlin on Injured Reserve which traditionally means he is paid at a lower rate. However, Buffalo found an agreement with the NFL and NFL Players Association to pay him the full rate of his four-year, $3.64 million deal.
Hamlin was set to earn $825,000 as his base rate in 2022, but his split rate on IR is $455,000. As he was placed on IR this week, he was set to receive a weekly salary of $20,555.56 less than his standard salary, but the Bills have ensured Hamlin will be paid as though he is a member of the active roster.
The Bills are set to face the Patriots in the final regular season match of the 2022 season this week, with Belichick and co. needing to win to clinch a spot in the postseason. Looking ahead to Sunday’s crucial clash with the Pats, McDermott acknowledged the shift from the human side of the game to returning to action has been difficult.
“That has certainly been a release on the pressure valve a little bit to allow more football to get into the channel, the pipeline,” McDermott said. “The coaches, they had to start... Tuesday.
“How difficult that was.”
After the initial traumatic event on Monday, positivity has spread around the NFL as news of Hamlin’s remarkable progress became evident. On Saturday night, Kansas City Chiefs, Las Vegas Raiders, Jacksonville Jaguars and Tennessee Titans players all took to their warm-ups donning black t-shirts that read ‘Love for Damar 3’ while an emotional video was played at both Allegiant Stadium and TIAA Bank Field.
The video will be played at each and every stadium as a showcase of solidarity with Hamlin, while the NFL also allowed teams to outline the ’3’ at each 30-yard line marker in the Bills’ iconic blue or red colours. Meanwhile, the Bills revealed they are set to wear special jersey patches displaying the no.3 - Hamlin’s jersey number - when they face the Patriots on Sunday.
