Bills to sit safety Damar Hamlin for Week 1 against New York Jets

The Buffalo Bills will sit safety Damar Hamlin for their Week 1 matchup against the New York Jets on Monday night. Although Hamlin finished the preseason second on the team in tackles and made the 53-man roster after his cardiac arrest incident last January, the Bills are “playing it safe” with the former Pitt Panther.

“Sources close to the situation tell me Damar Hamlin WILL NOT be suiting up tonight for the Bills,” Robert Griffin III shared on X on Monday morning. “There are no issues and he feels great after being the Bill’s 2nd leading tackler during the preseason. Bills are prioritizing playing it safe with Damar for now.”

Hamlin has been a backup safety for Buffalo this offseason, playing behind starter Micah Hyde.

At 25 years old, the safety still has a lot to offer the Bills’ defense. Last season, he posted 91 tackles with 5.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks. He also forced a fumble.

Through his first two seasons in the league, Hamlin has played in 29 games for Buffalo. He’s credited with 93 tackles and four passes defended while on the field.

The Bills and the Jets kick off at 8:15 p.m. ET from MetLife Stadium. Buffalo enters the Week 1 matchup as a two-point favorite against their interstate opponents.

Damar Hamlin’s comeback story nearing completion

Hamlin made his on-field return in the preseason opener against the Indianapolis Colts earlier this month, playing 24 snaps and recording three tackles. He immediately made his presence known on the Colts’ second offensive drive, stuffing running back Evan Hull for no gain on a fourth-and-1 attempt for a turnover on downs.

“It was fun. It was super fun, it was a great experience, just another milestone and a step up to just getting back to myself as far as the football space,” Hamlin said after the game, via NFL.com. “Just chopping this tree down as much as I can, one step at a time.”

Hamlin said it felt a weight come off of his shoulders after making his first tackle of the game.

“I made the choice that I wanted to play, you know, it wasn’t nobody else’s choices but mine. So, making that choice, I know what comes with it,” Hamlin said. “So, you see my cleats laced up and my helmet and shoulder pads on there ain’t going to be no hesitation. Because you can’t play this game like that. You’ll put yourself at more risk by hesitating. I’m out there. I’m just not thinking twice… Just playing my game and kind of how I was taught to play since I was my little brother’s age.”

On3’s Nick Geddes contributed to this report.