Last year, Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin nearly lost his life on the field when he went into cardiac arrest during a game against the Cincinnati Bengals and required life-saving CPR. After he shockingly returned to the football field this season, many thought he was essentially a lock to win the league’s Comeback Player of the Year Award. But unfortunately for him, that’s not what happened.
On Thursday, the NFL announced that even though Damar Hamlin got the most first-place votes for the league’s Comeback Player of the Year Award, he ultimately did not win as the award instead went to Cleveland Browns quarterback Joe Flacco who led the team to a playoff berth after signing as a free agent late in the season.
Obviously, this is pretty brutal news for Damar Hamlin after he essentially came back from the dead and was still able to return to the football field this season, and people were not exactly happy about the decision on social media.
Damar Hamlin deserved this award. I don’t care that he played very few snaps, he died on the field, came back and still played NFL games. https://t.co/13ec8ppdhK
— Wally Mazurek (@WallMaz35) February 9, 2024
I’m seeing a major debate on the TL over Flacco winning over Hamlin, but I think we should be more upset by the scoring system.
Someone with EIGHT more first place votes than the next highest vote getter should not lose the award (especially when that score is as low as 21-13. https://t.co/ahdCcclw15
— Tyler DeSena (@DeSenaSports) February 9, 2024
Damar pulled a Lazarus and 8 voters left him completely off their ballots. https://t.co/mldihdxGlH
— Mike Waters (@MikeWatersSYR) February 9, 2024
one guy died on the field, but the other two play quarterback so who's to say who had the more impressive comeback of the group https://t.co/ABHrYFTTtV
— Matt Carey (@RealMattCarey) February 9, 2024
If someone literally dies and comes back to play the sport in which they temporarily died. They should win the Comeback Player of the Year. https://t.co/Egzz4TRWk6
— Bryan DeGruy (@BryanD851) February 9, 2024
Damar Hamlin never considered dying twice and coming back. That’s where he messed up https://t.co/GxOAQ81ODA
— aaron. (@ayroned) February 9, 2024
Hamlin only played 17 defensive snaps and saw just 94 on special teams, appearing in just five games throughout the season, which is likely the reason he did not win the award. Still, it’s pretty brutal for him to essentially come back from the dead and not win this award.
