Damar Hamlin mocked by NFL fans over celebration in Bills playoff game… two years on from cardiac arrest
More than two years after going into cardiac arrest on a football field, Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin had a strong game in the AFC Wild Card round against the Denver Broncos.
Hamlin finished the day with four total tackles – including a solo tackle – in the 31-7 demolition of the Broncos at home in Orchard Park.
But a highlight for Hamlin came near the end of the game when he dove to catch an interception from Denver’s rookie quarterback Bo Nix.
Hamlin grabbed the ball and then ran off to celebrate. He took off his helmet and a protective neck layer before jumping into the crowd of Bills fans.
It was a beautiful moment, but that was immediately undone when the officials ruled the ball had hit the ground before he could catch it, nullifying the interception and making it an incomplete pass.
Cameras captured a stunned Hamlin staring at a video board, mouth open in disbelief.
Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin runs toward the end zone after an interception vs. Denver
Hamlin celebrated with Bills fans, but the officials overturned the call as an incomplete pass
Fans took to social media to mock Hamlin during his celebration on Sunday afternoon
That led to some NFL fans taking to social media to mock Hamlin for celebrating an interception that wasn’t.
“He doesn’t even catch the ball while doing all that,” wrote one user on X, formerly Twitter.
Another user commented: ‘Bro keep reaching for a Disney moment. Know damn well that the ball has hit the ground.’
“If the catch was as good as the party, it might have been a choice,” another user joked.
Another comment read: ‘Cringe as f***. Dude didn’t even pick it.”
This season, Hamlin has had a much bigger impact than he did in the 2023 season, when he spent a lot of time recovering from the incident in Cincinnati that landed him in a hospital after tackling a Bengals wide receiver.
In the 2024 regular season, Hamlin played in 14 games, making 89 total tackles (62 solo tackles) and hauling in two interceptions.
He will look to improve on that mark next week in the AFC Divisional round when the Bills host the Baltimore Ravens.