Steelers HC Mike Tomlin shares heartfelt message on Bills DB Damar Hamlin
The Pittsburgh Steelers and the fanbase knew who Buffalo Bills defensive back Damar Hamlin was well before the tragedy on Monday night. Hamlin is from the Pittsburgh area, played high school football there and even stayed local for his college experience at Pitt.
So when Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin spoke about Hamlin during his Tuesday press conference, he spoke from a place of experience. Tomlin said he has known Hamlin since he was 12 years old and has always been impressed with Hamlin's journey to the NFL. Tomlin and the Steelers know all the Pitt players well since they share a facility.
"It's a really personal thing for me, being a Pittsburgher and that young man being a Pittsburgher," he said. "... Just got a lot of respect and love for him as a human being. His commitment to the pursuit of his goals and dreams of doing what is is he's doing right now, which is playing in the NFL. To watch him make personal decisions and make that a realization. It's just an honor to get to know young people like that. I've had the opportunity to express that to him whenever I see him.
"We've played Buffalo each of the last two seasons and he and I get to have a moment. Because it's just cool to not only appreciate these guys in terms of where they are now, but to know them since they were younger people and to watch their maturation and their development, to watch them earn what they've been chasing is just really a cool thing and he's an example of that. I've got a lot of love for that young man."
Hamlin is in critical condition and is receiving care at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center after suffering cardiac arrest and collapsing on the field in the first quarter of the Bills game against the Cincinnati Bengals. The game was suspended after he was taken to the hospital in an ambulance. NFL players and organizations have expressed their support for the 24-year-old and fans have donated millions of dollars to his fundraiser for toys for local youth.
Paste BN Sports+ producer Victoria Hernandez contributed to this story.