The National Football League is built on relationships between players, coaches, executives, and support staff. If you didn’t know that was the case, you haven’t been watching the news the past week.
A week ago tomorrow, Bills safety and former Pitt Panther Damar Hamlin collapsed after suffering cardiac arrest after taking a hit to the chest in Buffalo’s game against the Cincinnati Bengals on Monday Night Football. His heartbeat was restored on the field, and he was transferred to the ICU at a University of Cincinnati Medical center. He remained in critical condition for several days, but has shown vast improvement since the initial injury, being awake and neurologically intact.
Players across the league have expressed their thoughts and prayers for Hamlin and his family during this difficult time as the entire NFL rallied around the importance of one man’s life that had become a key talking point of the entire country. The Pittsburgh Steelers had Mike Tomlin and several other players speak to the media this week, expressing their thoughts and prayers for Hamlin and his recovery. Several Steelers including DBs Cam Sutton, Terrell Edmunds, Levi Wallace, and Tre Norwood took toys to Kelly & Nina’s Daycare in McKees Rocks to support Hamlin’s fundraiser yesterday which has now surpassed $8.5 million.
Levi Wallace, Hamlin’s former teammate in Buffalo last season, picked off Browns QB Deshaun Watson in Pittsburgh’s regular season finale, notching his fourth INT of the season.
Speaking to Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Brian Batko after the game, he decided that ball he intercepted would be sent to Hamlin.
This is a first-class gesture by Wallace who predetermined that if he got an interception against Cleveland this Sunday, that ball would be sent to his former teammate. The outpour of love and support by the Steelers and every other team in the National Football League for Hamlin the last several days speaks to how tight knit the community can be in the league. Wallace’s act of kindness is just the latest gesture that is sure to brighten up Hamlin’s day as he watches the rest of the NFL wish him well as he hopefully makes a full recovery.
