Miles Sanders Relieved His Close Friend, Damar Hamlin, is Recovering
PHILADELPHIA – Each day the news on Damar Hamlin gets better, and Miles Sanders feels like a weight has been lifted off his shoulders.
The Eagles running back and the Bills' cornerback are tight. They grew up together in Pittsburgh, competed against each other at rival high schools, went to 7-on-7 practices and summer camps together, and took some college recruiting trips with one another.
Sanders, who is fifth in the NFL in rushing with 1,236 yards along with 11 touchdowns, starred at Woodland Hills High, a public school, before attending Penn State.
Hamlin starred at Pittsburgh Central Catholic before moving on to the University of Pittsburgh.
“We’re kind of similar,” said Sanders on Friday. “That’s why we click so much. We’re always on the same page. We do a lot of stuff in the community. He’s one of those guys I never have to worry about.
“His mental is always right, his head is great, he has both parents in this life, has a little brother, and he does everything for his family. He’s very selfless, just like me. I respect him a lot as a person, but not just a football player; as a friend.”
Hamlin continues to make big strides after the frightening scene that played out on Monday night in Cincinnati when he collapsed after a hard hit to his chest while making a tackle on a Bengals receiver.
The Bills cornerback went into cardiac arrest on the field, and he had to have his heart restarted on the field by quick-acting medical professionals. He remains at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center but is making such great progress that he and Sanders were able to Facetime on Friday.
What was the first thing Sanders said?
“I told him, ‘You know you’re the most famous person in the world right now?’”
Hamlin’s response?
“Not for the right reasons.”
Sanders then said: “You’re blessed, bro. You don’t know how blessed you are.”
The RB wanted to reach out to medical personnel to thank them for saving his friend.
“The whole world was scared, his family, his friends, I know I was terrified,” said Sanders. “I’m happy he’s still here with us.”
The trick now is for Sanders, and the rest of the NFL, to put the scene witnessed behind them and get ready to play on Sunday, which for the Eagles means a home game against the New York Giants.
He said he should be able to put the gruesome incident behind him and be ready to go.
“I know I’m representing him until he gets back and ready to play hopefully,” said Sanders. “You can’t really think about it. It happens. A situation like that you don’t want it to happen, but it happens. It’s a real eye-opener, though.”
Ed Kracz is the publisher of SI.com’s Fan Nation Eagles Today and co-host of the Eagles Unfiltered Podcast. Check out the latest Eagles news at www.SI.com/NFL/Eagles or www.eaglesmaven.com and please follow him on Twitter: @kracze.
