The Buffalo Bills have extended the contract of defensive back Damar Hamlin with a year-long agreement, the club disclosed Friday, following his 2025 season being curtailed prematurely by an injury.
Hamlin, at 28 years old, participated in merely five contests last year. His season concluded in October after he sustained a pectoral muscle injury during practice, which necessitated surgery. He now rejoins the Bills’ defensive back contingent, which has seen the addition of C.J. Gardner-Johnson and Geno Stone through free agency this offseason.
Selected in the sixth round of the 2021 draft, Hamlin commenced his professional journey as a Bills reserve and special teams participant. In 2022, he gained opportunities to start due to various player setbacks, notably in the “Monday Night Football” game on Jan. 2, 2023, against the Cincinnati Bengals, during which Hamlin experienced cardiac arrest on the field.
Following his recuperation, Hamlin received medical approval to resume playing and opted to carry on his career, acting as a backup in 2023. By 2024, he secured the primary safety position, commencing 14 matches and logging the initial two interceptions of his professional tenure.
Hamlin’s influence has extended well beyond the confines of the football field. His Chasing M’s Foundation garnered millions in donations subsequent to his cardiac arrest. In the ensuing years, Chasing M’s, Hamlin, the Bills, the NFL, and numerous others have endeavored to propagate heart health awareness by promoting understanding and application of CPR and AEDs, encompassing both new legal measures and CPR advocacy events.
ESPN’s Alaina Getzenberg assisted with this report.