The story of Damar Hamlin is one of both extreme caution and joy. With all the steps the NFL has taken to ensure player safety, it was shocking and heartbreaking when Hamlin nearly died during the Bills’ 2022 game against the Bengals. Originally from the Pittsburgh area and going to college at Pitt, Hamlin grew up a Steelers fan, making it even more traumatizing for the local community to see all he’s endured.
Thankfully, he’s made a full recovery and returned to play for the Bills this past season. Hamlin was also asked earlier this year if he would like to play for the Steelers, his hometown team, at some point in his career. His response was straightforward, stating that it would be a dream scenario. Any fan of the team can empathize with this, as wearing the Black and Gold would be an honor for anyone who grew up playing football and idolizing the team. However, he recently clarified those comments during an appearance on the Ed Mylett Show on Mylett’s YouTube channel.
“First and foremost, I want to clear all the air. I want to be a Buffalo Bill for life because that’s the team that took a chance on me. When I answered that question, I answered it from the perspective of a childhood perspective,” Hamlin said on being asked about playing for the Steelers. “I had the dream for a long time of just making it to the NFL and just being able to have an opportunity to take care of my family and give back to my community, something that I didn’t have as a kid growing up.
“The question they asked me, I answered it from a childhood perspective, and I also answered it from the perspective of, no, I don’t want to play for the Steelers right now because I’m a Buffalo Bill.”
So, it appears that Hamlin doesn’t have any plans on forcing his way out of Buffalo to get to Pittsburgh anytime soon, which makes sense. It’s one thing to grow up loving a team and imagining yourself playing for it. It’s another thing entirely when you actually get drafted to a team and become part of its culture.
Maybe one day Hamlin can finish his story and suit up for the Steelers, giving fans a fun and heartwarming story to root for. But that chapter will need to be started somewhere further down the road. For now, he is a member of the team that bounced Pittsburgh out of the playoffs in 2023. Maybe they’ll meet again in 2024, hopefully with the Steelers having a better result.
Check out the entire conversation with Damar Hamlin below.
