Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin has been thrust into the spotlight once again, not for his on-field heroics, but for the emotional rollercoaster that is his new documentary, “Did We Win.” The film, capturing the raw and heart-wrenching journey of Hamlin’s miraculous recovery, has reportedly moved the NFL star to tears nearly 100 times. “I cried 90 times,” Hamlin confessed, having just watched the completed film for the first time. His story, a testament to resilience and human spirit, is set to captivate audiences worldwide.
It was a night marred by shock and uncertainty on January 2, 2023, under the bright lights of a Monday Night Football game. What seemed like an ordinary tackle by Hamlin on Bengals receiver Tee Higgins quickly spiraled into a life-threatening ordeal. Higgins’s shoulder struck Hamlin’s chest, igniting a rare and perilous condition known as commotio cordis—a phenomenon that disrupts the heart’s rhythm when a blow lands at a critical moment in the cardiac cycle. This sudden cardiac arrest on the field left spectators and players alike in stunned silence.
In those harrowing moments, the Bills’ medical team sprang into action, delivering CPR and deploying an automated external defibrillator (AED) for nearly half an hour. Their swift intervention was nothing short of miraculous, reviving Hamlin’s heartbeat and paving the way for his transfer to the University of Cincinnati Medical Center, and subsequently, a hospital in Buffalo for his recovery. Against all odds, Hamlin not only survived but returned to the field as a pivotal player for the Bills, his journey now immortalized in a film.
“Just watched the first final cut of my documentary.. cried 90 times. Can’t wait for the world to see this thing!! Made so much progress in 2.5 years that it was humbling to relive some of the craziest moments of my life… wow,” Hamlin shared on social media, encapsulating the emotional weight of his story.
The documentary, “Did We Win,” is a collaborative effort by Skydance Sports and NFL Films, directed by the acclaimed Clay Tweel, and produced by industry veterans Beau Flynn and Shannon Riggs. Flynn, reflecting on the project, stated, “We’ve been with him every step of the way. He just continues to beat the odds at every turn. Now we’ll stay with him as the season unfolds on a Super Bowl-caliber team, and we’ll go from there. Already, this movie continues to be Rocky and Rocky II over and over again.”
As the Buffalo Bills head into the 2025 training camp, Hamlin is listed as their starting free safety, a testament to his incredible comeback. The documentary promises to be a gripping narrative not just for sports enthusiasts but for anyone inspired by tales of triumph over adversity. Get ready for a cinematic experience that will leave you at the edge of your seat, witnessing a real-life saga of courage, determination, and the unyielding will to overcome.
