If you are ever wanting to take a break from making some NBA picks then checking out some of the top news from the NFL is something to keep your mind busy. The NFL Playoffs are getting much of the attention right now, but the story to begin the New Year was all about Damar Hamlin of the Buffalo Bills.
Hamlin went into cardiac arrest on the field in a game against the Cincinnati Bengals in one of the worst scenes that sports fans have had to witness. Medical staff gave Hamlin CPR on the field to bring him back to life, and then he was transported to the hospital to continue receiving treatment.
It looked pretty grim as Hamlin was being taken off of the field in an ambulance, and it was fair to wonder if he would even live, let alone be able to play football again. Injuries impact NBA picks today and NFL betting, but an injury of this magnitude is much bigger than simply looking at the betting impact.
Fortunately for both Hamlin and the Bills, the updates have been pretty positive over the last few weeks. You still shouldn’t expect to see Hamlin back on the field for the 2023 NFL Playoffs, but there is now a chance that he will get back to playing football at some point.
Hamlin Quickly Discharged
It wasn’t long before Hamlin was transferred from Cincinnati to Buffalo to continue his treatment, but the doctors in Buffalo were encouraged by what they saw. On January 11, Hamlin was released from the hospital in Buffalo as the doctors were comfortable allowing him to recover at home.
This was remarkable and quick progress for Hamlin after fighting for his life less than 10 days earlier. The Buffalo Bills also announced before he was released from the hospital that they would be honoring the full contract and paying Hamlin even though he wasn’t able to play.
The Bills also opened up their facility to Hamlin if he wanted or needed to use the facility to continue receiving services. Hamlin’s prognosis initially looked riskier than trying to put together NBA picks and parlays, but all of the news that has come out has been extremely positive.
Also check: 10 Best Players in March Madness History
Hamlin Visited Teammates
The Buffalo Bills are one of the betting favorites to win the Super Bowl this season, and the injury to Hamlin is significant. He was someone that was seeing more time on the field, but the Bills do have some depth as well.
Hamlin kept in contact with his teammates throughout his recovery, especially through text messaging and video calls. He took that up a notch though on January 14th when he visited his teammates for the first time.
Hamlin stopped by the Bills facility as the team was gathered for meetings, and he was walking under his own power. The team did acknowledge the visit from Hamlin, but there weren’t a ton of details that emerged from what took place.
It’s unclear what type of role Hamlin will have with the team moving forward, or if there are any plans for him to be on the sidelines for future playoff games. Hamlin has continued to do work to raise money for his charities throughout this, and he has received a ton of support along the way.
Danny Kellington Gets MVP Vote
There were a ton of people that played a role in reviving Hamlin after he went into cardiac arrest on the field, but athletic trainer Danny Kellington is at the top of that list. Kellington was the one that started to immediately perform CPR on Kellington, and at least one member of the media believes that he deserves a big honor.
ESPN analyst Suzy Kolber gave Kellington a fifth-place vote for league MVP in a move that has been drawing plenty of praise. It’s unclear if others will follow suit in an effort to honor Kellington, but his name is now being thrown around throughout the league.
Kellington received a game ball in the first Bills game after the tragedy, and will likely receive other honors outside of football in the future.
