NFL prayers for Damar Hamlin

Coaches, players, and fans across the National Football League continue to pray for Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin, who suffered cardiac arrest during a “Monday Night Football” game on Jan. 2.

Hamlin, who has since reunited with his teammates and is back at the team facility almost daily, is taking “baby steps” on a miraculous road to a full recovery. 

Three days after being transferred to a Buffalo-area hospital, and nine days after his frightening collapse on the field, the Bills safety cleared a comprehensive medical evaluation and continued his rehab at home, and with the Bills medical and training staff.

It’s the answer to prayers from millions as the 24-year-old shows steady signs of improvement. Still, Hamlin is asking for more prayers in his healing journey. “God is using me in a different way,” he tweeted on game day on Jan. 8.

As he recovers, we shouldn’t move so quickly past this moment, in which Americans were united in shock and fear and many turned to prayer, which what is often the only comfort in times like these.

Here’s a look at some of those petitions, especially from around the league.

NFL

All 32 NFL teams included “Pray for Damar” on their Twitter avatars. 

NFL executive Troy Vincent, a five-time Pro Bowl cornerback during his 15-year career, praised God in an emotional news conference. “My greatest fear flashed in front of me in the moment but for the goodness and grace of God, Damar is still here,” Vincent told the AP in a text.

DeMaurice Smith, executive director of the NFL Players Association, thanked the Rev. William Barber, a prominent pastor, and activist, for the prayer and said in a statement that he and Barber were “both moved by the unity on display not only by Bills and Bengals players but by NFL players across our league and everyone in our community.”

Barber’s prayer stressed the humanity of Hamlin and all NFL players as the league played its first full slate of games since Hamlin’s injury. “We pray for the league itself, the NFL, that it may never see the players as just pieces of an economic engine, but as people without whom the sport would not exist,” he said.

BUFFALO BILLS

Bills coach Sean McDermott and general manager Brandon Beane both thanked God in separate news conferences.

“I’m a Christian man to begin with and I’m not afraid to say that, and I know when you are trying to do good things or great things, sometimes you come across opposition,” McDermott said when asked about the team’s ability to respond to adversity.

Quarterback Josh Allen opened up about the “spiritual awakening” he had when doctors continued to share positive updates about Hamlin’s health.

“It was kind of a spiritual awakening, really, for me,” Allen said during an appearance on the “Kyle Brandt’s Basement” podcast. “I’ll be the first to admit, like, I haven’t been the most devoted Christ-follower in my life. I’ve had my different beliefs and thoughts and ideas and stuff like that, but something got a hold of me there and it was extremely powerful that, you know, I couldn’t deny it.”

The Bills carried flags onto the field reading “Pray for Damar” in support of safety Damar Hamlin before an NFL football game against the New England Patriots, on Sunday, Jan. 9.

TENNESSEE TITANS, JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS

Players and coaches from both teams met at midfield before their game on Sunday to pray for Hamlin’s ongoing recovery.

DENVER BRONCOS, LOS ANGELES CHARGERS

Denver Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson and Los Angeles Chargers safety Derwin James, who wear jersey number “3” for their respective teams, met at midfield to pray before the game as their teammates locked arms behind them.

ESPN

Dan Orlovsky, an outspoken commentator, and former NFL quarterback, stopped during his NFL Live show on ESPN and prayed for Hamlin. “We believe that coming to you and praying to you has impact. If we didn’t believe prayer didn’t work, we wouldn’t ask this of you, God.”

FOX Sports

Sportscaster Nick Wright, host of the show “First Things First” on Fox Sports, pointed to his colleague Chris Broussard, an outspoken Christian, and said he longed for that depth of faith in these moments, “At times like this when there’s an inexplicable tragedy, you’re almost flailing about…Why? Why?”

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