Where Damar Hamlin once wondered if life would ever be the same again during his quest to resume his football career following a near-death experience, the Buffalo Bills safety caught a glimpse of what his new normal might be this week.
On Labor Day, Hamlin visited a riverside park in Buffalo to hold a camp for children, where he joined them in playing football, bought them lunch and haircuts, handed out backpacks and promoted CPR training.
And coming up on Monday night, he’ll be at a much larger venue in the Meadowlands, where Hamlin will have the opportunity to make his comeback complete when the Bills open their season facing the New York Jets.
“Yes sir. This is the entirety of it. This is a big, big, big big piece of the new normal,” Hamlin said Monday in his first public appearance since making the Bills’ 53-player roster.
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“You can never take it for granted because, you know, the NFL, they say it stands for Not For Long,” he added. “So to be able to go through my situation and then be able to come back and still show that I can still do it is super big.”
As for what it will feel like to be on the field on Monday night, Hamlin kept his feelings to himself as he declined interview requests later in the week.
There is a degree of symmetry to Hamlin’s return.
The story started with the unsettling sight of the 25-year-old going into cardiac arrest and requiring resuscitation on the field during a game in Cincinnati in front of a “Monday Night Football” audience on Jan. 2. And his celebrated return to play — however many snaps he’ll get, if any, in a backup role — will occur before yet another prime-time national audience.
“Just incredible, amazing, all the words, adjectives you’d use to describe something as unique as what he’s been through,” coach Sean McDermott said. “I’m extremely proud of Damar and the work he’s put in. Incredible journey to get back to where he is.”
New York Jets wide receiver Garrett Wilson catches a touchdown pass against New York Giants cornerback Gemon Green during the first half of a preseason game on Aug. 26 in East Rutherford, N.J.
Wilson studying Adams
Garrett Wilson has heard the comparisons to Davante Adams from the moment Aaron Rodgers joined the New York Jets in April.
The quarterback has helped fuel some of that talk himself, raving about his new No. 17 and how he can someday be like his old No. 17 if he keeps working the way he has.
Wilson is coming off a season in which he was selected the AP Offensive Rookie of the Year after catching 83 passes for 1,103 yards and four touchdowns.
In preparation for this year, Wilson, who grew up a fan of Adams, is watching tape of the current Raiders receiver on a daily basis.
“We go back and watch the 2019, 2020, 2018 Green Bay Packers and he was unguardable at that point,” Wilson said. “Aaron didn’t miss, the offense rolled. There’s a few games in there they got beat, but they were impressive. And that’s every day because it’s all our offense. It’s exactly what we’re running now.
“And it’s just easy for me to see him do it and be like, ‘OK, that’s how I should make it look.’ And knowing how great he was and seeing how he made it work because this offense is catered to a receiver.”
San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy passes during a practice on Thursday in Santa Clara, Calif.
Purdy’s wild ride
Brock Purdy has been on quite a ride since entering the NFL as the final pick of the 2022 draft.
Purdy worked his way onto the San Francisco 49ers’ roster as a rookie, then went on a storybook late-season run when forced into action by injuries only to sustain a serious injury to his throwing elbow in the NFC championship game.
Now after a grueling offseason of rehabilitation and building back his arm strength, Purdy is set to start his second season in the NFL as the starting quarterback for one of the Super Bowl favorites.
“Honestly, there’s some moments where I’m able to sort of step back and be thankful for everything and whatnot, but at the same time it’s like, man, there’s a lot in front of me that I’m trying to handle and prepare for,” Purdy said Thursday. “Obviously with this game coming up and then really this whole offseason it’s been about my arm, getting it right, getting healthy, so I’m ... not trying to get caught up in too much other stuff. But for me I want to win, I want to play football, and I love the game and that’s where I’m at with my life.”
Meeting the community
Magic Johnson handed Kanga Gwanyama $5,000 in cash, telling the 13-year-old he could only hold on to the money for five minutes and that most of it would go into savings.
Johnson brought cheers and a few tears to Gwanyama and hundreds of kids and parents at the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Washington on Thursday. He did so not as the Hall of Fame basketball player but as one of the new owners of the NFL’s Washington Commanders.
The visit was one stop on a whirlwind tour of the area by owners leading up to the season opener Sunday that’s expected to be a sellout. After the long-awaited ownership change from Dan Snyder, festivities this week have been a chance for Josh Harris, Mitch Rales and Johnson to introduce themselves to players, coaches and the community that has embraced them.
Johnson said from the get-go he “wanted to be in the community” and “wanted to make an impact and make a difference.” This is the start of that for the entire ownership group.
No rust for Ridley
Jacksonville Jaguars receiver Calvin Ridley insists he won’t be rusty in the season opener despite being away from the NFL for nearly two years.
Ridley was one of the league’s best receivers before he broke his foot in 2021 and then was banished for a year for gambling on games.
Jacksonville traded for Ridley last November. He’s been even better than expected since being reinstated by the league and joining the Jaguars in March. And he could be Trevor Lawrence’s top target when Jacksonville opens the season at AFC South rival Indianapolis on Sunday.
Surtain’s 2nd chance
The last time the All-Pros squared off, Davante Adams sped past Patrick Surtain II for two long touchdowns, including the game-winner in overtime that prompted Las Vegas’ star receiver to taunt Denver’s star cornerback.
“He’s not there yet!” Adams hollered after his 35-yard catch capped the Raiders’ third consecutive season sweep of their AFC West rivals last November. “He’s not there yet!”
Surtain was being mentioned as a Defensive Player of the Year candidate before Adams got the best of him.
Neither the way that game ended nor the game Adams had — 141 yards and two TDs on seven catches — stuck with him, Surtain insisted this week as the teams prepared for their season opener Sunday in Denver.
BRIEFLY
RAIDERS: Las Vegas coach Josh McDaniels said defensive end Chandler Jones is not expected to play in Sunday’s season opener at the Denver Broncos. Jones hasn’t been in the Raiders’ facility this week. He twice posted disparaging remarks on social media about team management before removing them. McDaniels also said Friday that backup cornerback Brandon Facyson is not expected to play because of a shin injury.
PANTHERS: Carolina still don’t know if top pass rusher Brian Burns plans to play on Sunday against the Atlanta Falcons. The two-time Pro Bowl outside linebacker participated in his third straight practice on Friday. But it’s unclear if he will actually play with his contract situation still unsettled. Burns is in the final year of his rookie contract and is due $16 million this season.
EAGLES: Haason Reddick won’t let thumb surgery keep him off the field. The Pro Bowl edge rusher hasn’t missed a game in his first six seasons. Reddick will line up Sunday when Philadelphia visits the New England Patriots. The second-team All-Pro is aiming to build off a season in which he had a career-high 16 sacks plus 3 1/2 more in the playoffs.
GIANTS: New York kicker Graham Gano has signed a three-year contract extension. The 36-year-old Gano has made 91.8% of his field-goal attempts since joining the Giants in 2020. That’s the best percentage in franchise history for anyone with at least 50 attempts. Gano has also made 20 kicks of at least 50 yards for the Giants — 11 more than any other player in team history.
PACKERS: Green Bay wide receiver Christian Watson won’t play in Sunday’s season opener at Chicago while he deals with a hamstring injury. The Packers’ injury report has ruled Watson out for the Bears game and lists wide receiver Romeo Doubs as questionable. Watson’s absence means Green Bay won’t have its top returning receiver when Jordan Love begins his first season as the starting quarterback.
BROWNS: Cleveland cornerback Denzel Ward cleared concussion protocol and will start Sunday’s season opener against Cincinnati. Ward’s is the top player for a Browns secondary that will try to stop Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow and his trio of receivers. Browns safety Juan Thornhill is questionable with a calf injury.
