The Buffalo Bills announced this afternoon they will wear a No. 3 patch during Sunday’s game against the New England Patriots (1 p.m. on CBS) in honor of safety Damar Hamlin, who suffered a cardiac arrest during Monday’s game at the Cincinnati Bengals.
It’s one of several tributes planned this weekend for the 24-year-old Hamlin, who collapsed after making a tackle and needed to be revived. He was still listed in critical condition on Thursday, but had his breathing tube removed overnight and spoke with his teammates on Friday.
“I probably won’t be able to do it justice, but to just see Damar through my own eyes, it was something I was hoping to see and kind of something I needed to see,” Bills head coach Sean McDermott said. “And to see the players’ reactions, they stood up right away and started clapping for him and yelling some things.”
Buffalo players will wear royal blue Nike t-shirts that display “Love for Damar 3” during pregame warmups, while the coaching staff and members of the front office will have No. 3 lapel pins. The Bills will also outline the “3” at the 30-yard lines of Highmark Stadium in royal blue in honor of Hamlin.
That opportunity will be extended to all 32 NFL franchises, who have the option to outline the “3” in either royal blue or red, whether they play at home this weekend or not. Players across the league can also choose to wear a black Nike t-shirt with “Love for Damar 3” during pregame warmups.
Lastly, Buffalo will be issued New Era hats with the No. 3 for pregame activities, while the NFL distributed an announcement that teams are encouraged to read prior the national anthem to show support for Hamlin, first responders and medical caregivers, which is accompanied by a scoreboard graphic.
The final weekend of the NFL’s regular season kicks off tomorrow when the Las Vegas Raiders host the Kansas City Chiefs at 4:30 p.m. ET on ESPN. That will be followed by the Tennessee Titans at Jacksonville Jaguars (8:15 p.m. on ESPN), as well as a full slate of games on Sunday afternoon and evening.
Photos courtesy of the Buffalo Bills.
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