Bills QB Josh Allen opens up about ‘spiritual awakening’ after Damar Hamlin’s cardiac arrest

For many, Damar Hamlin’s recovery from cardiac arrest on the Cincinnati field on January 2 has been close to a miracle. But for his Buffalo Bills teammate Josh Allen, the experience has been a more literal religious one.

‘[There was] just kind of a spiritual awakening really for me, and I know for a lot of other people maybe they didn’t have the strongest belief, or it wasn’t one of the biggest [or] strongest Christian supporters’, Bills quarterback he told ESPN’s Kyle Brandt ahead of Sunday’s playoff matchup with the visiting Miami Dolphins.

“Something got me there,” Allen added. “It was extremely powerful that I couldn’t deny.”

Since his collapse, Hamlin has made remarkable strides, transitioning from the University of Cincinnati Medical Center to a Buffalo-area hospital before being released this week. The 24-year-old safety has kept in touch with his teammates as he continues to recover after being resuscitated on the grass at Paycor Stadium.

For many, Damar Hamlin’s recovery from cardiac arrest on the Cincinnati field on January 2 has been close to a miracle. But for his Buffalo Bills teammate Josh Allen, the experience has been a more literal religious one.

And as if his improvement was enough to galvanize Bills players and fans, Buffalo kick returner Nyheim Hines’ game-opening touchdown run last Sunday certainly worked. The drama was the first for the Bills since their January 2 game in Cincinnati was postponed and then canceled following Hamlin’s collapse, sending the Bills mob, as fans are known, into hysterics. .

Allen was also overwhelmed with emotion.

“That kickoff return was pretty crazy, too,” he told ESPN. “So there were a lot of things that happened and a lot of… telling situations that we’ve run into, or run into.”

Allen discussed his recent experiences with ESPN’s Kyle Brandt (far left). After Sunday’s game, Allen described the experience as “chilling,” revealing that he told his teammates at the moment of the touchdown, “God is real.”

Damar Hamlin #3 of the Buffalo Bills tackles Tee Higgins #85 of the Cincinnati Bengals during the first quarter of an NFL football game at Paycor Stadium on January 2. He would go into cardiac arrest on the play, but has since been released from the hospital.

Buffalo Bills RB Nyheim Hines celebrates as he recovers the kickoff for a touchdown on Sunday. The Bills defeated the New England Patriots, 35-23

After Sunday’s game, Allen described the experience as “chilling,” revealing that he told his teammates at the moment of the touchdown, “God is real.”

Allen was not presenting himself as a perfect Christian, instead saying his recent experiences with Hamlin brought him back to religion.

“I will be the first to admit that I have not been the most devoted follower of Christ in my life, and I have had my beliefs, thoughts and ideas differ,” Allen told ESPN. But something got a hold of me there, and it was [something] extremely powerful that… he couldn’t deny it.

Allen, a 26-year-old California native who played collegiately at the University of Wyoming, went on to say that ‘it’s been crazy; It hasn’t been fun, but at the same time it has been very enriching.’