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Alaina GetzenbergESPN
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — As Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin sent his love and watched along from Cincinnati with his signature heart symbol, the team and fan base honored him in a variety of ways before Sunday’s game against the New England Patriots.
And the Bills promptly scored on the first play, with running back Nyheim Hines posting a 96-yard kickoff return to give the Bills an early 7-0 lead.
Before the game, the Bills honored those who saved Hamlin’s life by naming all the team’s medical personnel and training staff, to a large round of applause and cheers.
Some Bills players ran onto the field before the game with “3” and “Pray for Damar” flags. They then gathered in a circle at midfield.
GAMETIME!!! @BuffaloBills 💙 pic.twitter.com/PQYClonUHb
— 𝐃𝐚𝐦𝐚𝐫 𝐇𝐚𝐦𝐥𝐢𝐧 (@HamlinIsland) January 8, 2023
Hamlin also tweeted out a video of him being announced on the field prior to a game with the message, “GameDay.. Nothing I Want More Than To Be Running Out That Tunnel With My Brothers. God Using Me In A Different Way Today. Tell Someone You Love Them Today! Let’s go.”
Bills players are wearing “3” patches on their jerseys in honor of Hamlin, who suffered cardiac arrest on the field in Cincinnati during Monday’s Bills-Bengals game.
General manager Brandon Beane wore a Hamlin jersey during pregame warmups. While Bills players had the option of wearing the same version of “Love for Damar 3” shirts that the entire league is wearing before games, but in blue, many wore custom black T-shirts that were made for the team with a Hamlin collage on the front and a larger image of the safety on the back.
Team personnel wore blue ballcaps and beanies with No. 3 on them. The No. 3 was seen all over Highmark Stadium and in Orchard Park. Signs throughout the stadium included messages to Hamlin and people sharing their love for the safety.
Some fans were able to get Hamlin jerseys to wear to the game, but others made their own Hamlin gear with messages and heart pins with No. 3 on them.
Bills fans Ryan Magnuson and Jeffrey Payne had a 10-foot sign outside the stadium in one of the parking lots that was made for fans to sign and send their best to Hamlin. They said that despite wanting the Bills to win the game, what was most important was being there to honor Hamlin.
There were other signs of Hamlin throughout the stadium. The ambulance that sits in the stadium in case of emergencies had Hamlin jerseys in its windows. The “3” on the 30-yard line was lined in blue.
Former Bills running back LeSean McCoy led the stadium in the signature Bills’ chant to start the game, “Ay-Ay-Ay-Ay,” and asked fans to all hold up the number three. McCoy is a former Pitt football player, just like Hamlin.