Hamlin continues recovery, tells Bills teammates ‘Love you boys’
Doctors described Damar Hamlin’s neurological function as “excellent” Saturday, as the Buffalo Bills safety continued making progress in his recovery after having to be resuscitated on the field in a game at Cincinnati on Monday.
In providing their daily update on Hamlin, the Bills said the player continues to breathe on his own but remains in critical condition at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center. Hamlin took a major step forward in his recovery on Friday when he was taken off a ventilator and showed an ability to speak.
There was a tweet on the 24-year-old’s verified Twitter account Saturday evening saying that any love put into the world comes back three times as much and thanking all who have “reached out and prayed.” It also said that the response to his injury will make Hamlin stronger. The tweet was followed by a heartshaped emoji and “3.”
The tweet read: “Putting love into the world comes back 3xs as much… thankful for everyone who has reached out and prayed. This will make me stronger on the road to recovery, keep praying for me!”
The NFL also will show support for Hamlin during all Week 18 games, which start Saturday afternoon, including a pregame moment of support, painting Hamlin’s No. 3 on the 30-yard line and pregame shirts with
“Love for Damar 3.” The Bills will also wear “3” jersey patches.
Hamlin also made a brief live videoconference appearance Friday for his teammates, making several hand signs and saying, “Love you boys.”
Hamlin went into cardiac arrest and his heart stopped on Monday night after making what appeared to be a routine tackle in the first quarter against the Bengals. The game was initially suspended before officially being canceled later in the week.
The Bills are planning to pay tribute to Hamlin and the first-responders and medical staff who treated the player when they close the season Sunday by hosting the New England Patriots.
On Saturday, the Steelers paid tribute to Hamlin, who is from the Pittsburgh area, by delivering toys, books and teaching supplies to Kelly & Nina’s Daycare, where the player hosts an annual toy drive. Fans, players and team owners have also made donations to Hamlin’s Chasing M’s Foundation, which has raised just more than $8.2 million by Saturday afternoon.
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Browns: Jadeveon Clowney’s season is officially over — not that there was much of a question.
Cleveland did not bring Clowney on their trip to Pittsburgh for the season finale after the defensive end was sent home from
Apractice Friday for biting remarks he made about the organization and coaching staff.
Before departing Saturday, the Browns downgraded Clowney to out.
Coach Kevin Stefanski was intentionally vague Friday about Clowney’s standing, but intimated the Browns were moving forward without him by saying, “Nothing comes above the team.”
Clowney effectively ended his second season with the Browns during an interview with cleveland.com this week when he said he felt the Browns undervalued him and were more focused on making Pro Bowl defensive end Myles Garrett look good at his expense.
The 29-year-old Clowney complained he was put in difficult matchups by the coaches so Garrett, who has 15 sacks this season, could dominate.
Garrett said Friday he found Clowney’s remarks “confusing” and wished his teammate had spoken to him before sounding off publicly.
“We’re both moved to be put in favorable matchups,” Garrett said. “That’s kind of the name of the game: Put your guy against their best and then put your guy against their worst and see what happens. “We want to give everyone a chance to win, an opportunity. I wish we could have talked about it.”
Clowney had just two sacks this season. He had recorded nine — his most since 2018 with Houston — with the Browns in 2021 and re-signed as a free agent in May.
On Thursday, Clowney said he was “95% sure” he wasn’t returning to the Browns (7-9), who missed the playoffs for the second straight year.
49ers: San Francisco could have its full complement of playmakers for the regular season finale with receiver Deebo Samuel and running back Elijah Mitchell set to return from injuries.
Coach Kyle Shanahan said Friday that Samuel will have no injury designation and is cleared to play Sunday against Arizona for the first time since being carted off with injuries to his knee and ankle in a Week 14 win over Tampa Bay.
Shanahan said Mitchell will be officially activated off injured reserve on Saturday and return from a sprained left knee that sidelined him on Nov. 27.
That should provide a big boost to the 49ers (12-4) heading into the key game Sunday against the Cardinals. San Francisco can clinch the No. 2 seed with either a win or a loss by Minnesota, and has a shot at the top seed and a bye with a win and a loss by Philadelphia.
Samuel has 54 catches for 612 yards and two TDs, along with 228 yards rushing and three TD runs this season.
Mitchell led the 49ers in rushing as a rookie with 963 yards in 2021. He has 40 carries for 224 yards in four games this season, with two stints on injured reserve with knee injuries.
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the Bills’ Week 17 game against the Cincinnati Bengals because of Buffalo safety Damar Hamlin going into cardiac arrest Monday night, the NFL on Thursday announced the matchup would not be played and revealed a set of scenarios for the AFC playoffs, including the possibility of a conference championship game at a neutral site. The setup gives the Bills incentive to play their starters against the Patriots with one or two home playoff games still in play, which works in Miami’s favor.
Kansas City’s win against Las Vegas on Saturday means the Dolphins will open the playoffs at the Bills next weekend if Miami makes the playoffs. Miami also could make the playoffs with a tie against the Jets, a loss by the Patriots and a loss or tie by Pittsburgh against Cleveland.
But the Dolphins know that before they can reap the benefits of help from their division rival, they have to handle their own business against another rival. And in a season defined by quarterback injuries and changes, Miami’s regular-season finale will ultimately be decided by another one.
With starter Tua Tagovailoa ruled out for his fourth game and second consecutive this season because of a concussion, and backup quarterback Teddy Bridgewater dealing with a dislocated pinkie on his right (throwing) hand, McDaniel on Friday announced rookie Skylar Thompson will make his second career start.
The seventh-round pick is no stranger to stepping into the spotlight this season. He made his NFL debut one play into the Dolphins’ Week 5 game against the Jets after concussion protocol sidelined Bridgewater. Thompson’s first start came the next week against the Minnesota Vikings, but he left the game and did not return after injuring his thumb in the second quarter. He again was called upon in last week’s loss to the Patriots after Bridgewater sustained his injury in the third quarter.
On the surface, Thompson’s raw stats this season
— 54.1 completion percentage, one touchdown, three interceptions — tell the story of a late-round, third-string quarterback in over his head when pressed into extended action. But teammates and coaches have praised his maturity and handling of the offense all season, and believe a lack of practice reps has hindered him when entering midgame.
“I think Skylar does his best, like most quarterbacks, especially young in your career and in Year 1 of the system, he does best when he has practice reps,” McDaniel said. “I think we saw a taste of that against Minnesota until he got injured. He’s starting to really get a feel.”
Meanwhile, the Jets will start veteran quarterback
Joe Flacco after ruling out Mike White because of a ribs injury.
A win Sunday and getting into the playoffs as the AFC’s No. 7 seed might not completely wash away the disappointment of a late-season slide for a team that was viewed as a potential conference contender at 8-3. But after a long season with a series of streaks marking the highs and lows of the year, there would be an extra appreciation for getting into the postseason.
Linebacker Jerome Baker acknowledged the frustration of not being able to fully control whether the season continues on Sunday but referenced the team’s fivegame winning streak as a reminder of what the
Dolphins are capable of at their best.
“All it takes is one [win],” he said.
“There’s still confidence in this team, confidence in this whole building,” wide receiver Tyreek Hill said. “I feel like you never lose that as a competitor. The guys from top to bottom, who brought in all of the guys here including myself, we’ll never stop believing. When you play this game, you don’t come into this game just for what it gives. You come into it for teammates that you come across, the winning atmosphere and just competing. We all love that. Nobody has lost spirit yet.”
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