Ahead of the Buffalo Bills kickoff with the New England Patriots, Bills safety Damar Hamlin tweeted a picture of him watching the game from his hospital bed at UC Medical Center in Cincinnati, Ohio.
NFL honors Damar Hamlin in final week of regular season
By Matt Meyer, Mike Hayes and Maureen Chowdhury, CNN
Updated 0203 GMT (1003 HKT) January 9, 2023
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Damar Hamlin shares picture from hospital bed ahead of kickoff
From CNN's Chuck Johnston
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul tweets support for Buffalo Bills
From CNN’s Kiely Westhoff
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul tweeted her support for the Buffalo Bills as the team's game against the New England Patriots got underway at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park, New York.
“Over the last year, Buffalo has been through the unimaginable. As we come together today to cheer on our @BuffaloBills, we show the world the resiliency of the Buffalo spirit. ❤️💙,” Hochul wrote.
The governor was expected to attend Sunday’s game.
An emotional Bills team has taken the field. The NFL's early games are underway
The Buffalo Bills players are back on the gridiron in front of a roaring home crowd, marking their return after safety Damar Hamlin's collapse during Monday Night Football.
In addition to the Bills clash with the New England Patriots, the Cincinnati Bengals are playing for the first time since they witnessed Hamlin's cardiac arrest on the opposing sideline of the Monday matchup.
Here are the other games underway in the NFL's early window. All of them will feature tributes to Hamlin:
- Baltimore Ravens at Cincinnati Bengals
- New York Jets at Miami Dolphins (Dolphins clinch playoffs with Patriots loss)
- Cleveland Browns at Pittsburgh Steelers (Steelers clinch playoffs with win and Patriots loss and Dolphins loss)
- Minnesota Vikings at Chicago Bears
- Houston Texans at Indianapolis Colts
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Atlanta Falcons
- Carolina Panthers at New Orleans Saints
Buffalo Bills to honor Hamlin and medical workers in customized home tribute, sources say
From CNN's Coy Wire
The Buffalo Bills are set to honor Damar Hamlin and the medical workers involved in saving his life with a customized home tribute Sunday, a source told CNN's Coy Wire.
The pregame tribute at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park, New York, will especially highlight the members of the Bills training staff who immediately jumped into action after Hamlin collapsed on the field Monday.
That includes assistant athletic trainer Denny Kellington, credited by Buffalo Bills head coach for saving Damar Hamlin’s life after he performed CPR on the field.
According to an update from the Bills Saturday, Hamlin remains in critical condition at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center.
Watch: Hamlin patches get stitched on to Bills jerseys for today's game
The Buffalo Bills will take the field for the first time Sunday since safety Damar Hamlin's collapse during Monday Night Football.
While their teammate remains hospitalized, the Bills players will have Hamlin with them in spirit.
The Bills team account shared a video of special patches with Hamlin's No. 3 getting stitched onto player uniforms for the game, which kicks off at 1 p.m. ET:
Here's what happened in the NFL's two games Saturday
The NFL's final slate of games this regular season kicked off Saturday with two AFC faceoffs.
The games marked the league's return to action for the first time since Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin's hospitalization, and featured tributes to the player on and off the field. The contests also had major implications for the NFL playoffs.
Chiefs vs Raiders:
Kansas City Chiefs and Las Vegas Raiders players paid tribute to Hamlin, wearing shirts and hoodies of the 24-year-old ahead of their Week 18 matchup at Allegiant Stadium in Nevada.
Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes and Raiders wide receiver Davante Adams were among the players to pay tribute to Hamlin.
Before the game, the public address announcer read a statement of support for Hamlin and received a roar from the crowd.
NFL playoff picture: The Chiefs cruised past the Raiders 31-13, clinching the No. 1 seed in the AFC conference.
Kansas City will have a first-round bye in the playoffs and can secure the AFC Championship at home if the Buffalo Bills lose to the New England Patriots on Sunday.
If the Bills win against the Patriots and make it to the AFC championship game along with the Chiefs, the game will be played at a neutral site.
Jaguars vs Titans:
The Jacksonville Jaguars and Tennessee Titans held a moment of prayer for Hamlin prior to kickoff Saturday night at TIAA Bank Field. Players from both teams came together and joined arms at midfield while taking a knee in a show of support for Hamlin.
The stadium announcer read a similar PA address to that read at the Chiefs-Raiders game.
The Jaguars also posted video of their field crew highlighting the number 3 on their field in a tribute to Hamlin's jersey number. You'll see that gesture taken at stadiums across the league Sunday.
NFL playoff picture: The Jaguars beat the Titans 20-16 in this "win-and-in" contest, meaning they clinched the AFC South division and a spot in the playoffs.
The game turned on a dramatic fourth-quarter fumble recovery for a touchdown, with Jags star defender Josh Allen scooping up a bounding ball and returning it for the score.
This marks the Jaguars' first playoff appearance since 2017.
With the loss, the Titans' once strong playoff hopes have now completely diminished. The team suffered seven straight losses to end the regular season.
Hamlin: There's nothing I want more than to be running out of that tunnel with my brothers
From CNN's Adrienne Broaddus
Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin posted messages of love on social media on Sunday.
"It's GameDay & There's Nothing I Want More Than To Be Running Out That Tunnel With My Brothers," he wrote. "God Using Me In A Different Way Today! Tell Someone You Love Them Today!"
The Bills host the New England Patriots later today.
Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen arrives at Highmark Stadium in Damar Hamlin sweatshirt
From CNN's Kevin Dotson
Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen arrived at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park, NY, wearing a sweatshirt and hat bearing the #3 worn by teammate Damar Hamlin.
Hamlin retweeted the Bills video of Allen arriving and wrote, "That's My Quarterback."
View Hamlin's tweet:
Bills dedicate today's game to Hamlin
The Buffalo Bill's are dedicating their game today to Damar Hamlin.
The team tweeted out a photo of Hamlin's jersey hanging in the team locker room and wrote, "Today is for 3."
The Buffalo Bills will face the New England Patriots today.
