Bills defeat Dolphins in Wild Card matchup with Damar Hamlin ‘supporting from home’
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The Buffalo Bills continued their emotional season with a win against the Miami Dolphins in an AFC Wild Card matchup at Highmark Stadium on Sunday as Damar Hamlin watched from home, days after being released from the hospital.
“My heart is with my guys as they compete today!” Hamlin wrote on Twitter before opening kickoff. “Supporting from home as I focus on my recovery. Nothing I want more than to be out there with them! LFG”
The No. 2 seed Bills defeated No. 7 seed Dolphins, 34-31, in a game that was closer than expected. The Bills entered Sunday 14-point favorites with the Dolphins without starting quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, who has been in concussion protocol since Dec. 26. Skylar Thompson got the start in place of Tagovailoa. Thompson went 18-for-45 for 220 yards and one touchdown. He also threw two interceptions.
The Wild Card matchup comes nearly two weeks after Hamlin suffered a cardiac arrest in a Monday Night Football game against the Cincinnati Bengals on Jan. 2. Less than 10 days from suffering the horrifying incident, Hamlin was discharged from a Buffalo-area hospital and continued his rehab at home.
Like last week’s season-finale win against the Patriots, Hamlin live-tweeted the game. He praised his teammates who scored touchdowns throughout the afternoon. After Bills running back James Cook scored a 12-yard rushing touchdown in the first quarter, Hamlin gave his teammate a nickname: “Chef James.”
The playoff win comes a day after Hamlin visited his teammates at the team facility, according to an ESPN report. Bills linebacker Matt Milano posted a photo of Hamlin on his Instagram story taken at the team’s facility.
“I saw Damar today & bawled my eyes out! What a miracle to see him walking,” Brooke Kromer, daughter of Bills offensive line coach Aaron Kromer tweeted Saturday.
Brooke Kromer also tweeted that Hamlin was present at Bills practice on Saturday.
