Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin played his first NFL game since nearly dying on the field against Cincinnati last season.
Hamlin made a fourth-and-1 stop on the Indianapolis Colts’ first series, drilling running back Evan Hull in the hole.
“I made the choice to play,” Hamlin said after the game. “It wasn’t nobody else’s choice but mine, so making that choice, I know what comes with it.”
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Hamlin collapsed on the field after making a tackle against Cincinnati on Jan. 2.
Hamlin experienced cardiac arrest and had his heartbeat restored on the field before being taken to a hospital for further evaluation. He spent a week at the hospital before being released.
“What we just witnessed, to me, is remarkable. It really is,” Bills coach Sean McDermott said. “It’s a true sign of a young man’s courage and, obviously, everyone that helped him get to this point.”
Here’s a look at some of the other top stories from the first weekend of preseason football …
No stars in Dallas Cowboys’ loss to Jacksonville
Dak Prescott didn’t play in the Cowboys’ 28-23 loss to Jacksonville in the preseason opener against Jacksonville. Neither did Micah Parsons and CeeDee Lamb. Trevon Diggs sat out, as did Stephon Gilmore.
Demarcus Lawrence and Tony Pollard sat out too.
Pretty much any key player to the Cowboys’ success skipped the game. And, if you listen closely to Dallas coach Mike McCarthy, you shouldn’t expect to see any of those players until the season starts.
It’s an interesting concept.
It’s understandable why teams protect quarterbacks — the good ones are irreplaceable — but it’s risky for teams to put every star player in preseason bubble wrap.
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“I trust our practice environment,” McCarthy said. “That’s a big reason why we’re staying in California one more week. I think the way our guys practice against each other they push the envelope.
“It’s competitive, and we’re going to have two big-time practices Tuesday and Wednesday. The way our guys compete against each other m, I think it serves us well.”
Fifth-round pick could gain backup spot to Deshaun Watson
Cleveland took 23-year-old Dorian Thomas-Robinson in the fifth round.
Not much buzz surrounded the pick.
Through two preseason games, he doesn’t look like the 140th player selected.
Thomas-Robinson is 17-21 for 182 yards and two touchdowns in the preseason.
He looks like a guy who just might beat out Josh Dobbs for the backup job behind Deshaun Watson.
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Same old Russell Wilson?
Russell Wilson looked like the same struggling quarterback we saw last year in the Denver Broncos’ preseason opener.
He was 7 of 13 for 93 yards in four series. He looked uneasy in the pocket, understandable considering he spent much of the game under duress.
He also missed some open receivers and bore little resemblance to the dude who tossed 40 touchdown passes in 2021. He was 4 of 9 for 49 yards before first-year. First-year Broncos coach Sean Payton inserted him in the game for a fourth drive.
This one resulted in a touchdown.
“I wanted to score and leave with a good taste in our mouths,” Payton said of the first-string offense. “He’s sharp. He’s had a good week of practice, and we keep working.”
The beginning of a rising NFL star in Pittsburgh
It feels like Pittsburgh receiver George Pickens is about to become a star.
He scored a 33-yard touchdown on a nifty catch-and-run. He’s been dominating in practice, regularly making spectacular catches in practice, according to Twitter and IG video posts.
He caught 52 for 801 and four touchdowns last year.
The second-round pick has a chance to double those totals this season.
Nothing but Love for new QB in Green Bay
Jordan Love has waited three years for an opportunity to lead Green Bay.
With Aaron Rodgers traded to the Jets, this is Love’s team for better or worse.
He was 7 of 10 for 46 yards and a touchdown in the opener. The best part is the game didn’t appear too big for him.
“I thought, just the poise he showed, the command he showed,” Packers coach Matt LaFleur said. “I thought we were getting in and out of the huddle quickly. I thought it was a really good first exposure for him for this season.”
Preseason is a win-win proposition in Baltimore
Say what you want about the validity of preseason football results. The Baltimore Ravens find ways to win.
They beat Philadelphia, 20-19, to win their 24th consecutive preseason game.
They haven’t lost a preseason game since 2016.
Wow.
Playmakers could bring Chicago Bears offense to life
The Chicago Bears spent the offseason getting Justin Fields playmakers.
DJ Moore, acquired from Carolina as part of a deal for the No.1 pick, took a hitch 62 yards for a touchdown.
Moore had a string of three straight 1,100-yard seasons broken last season. Still, 17 of his 63 receptions went for 20 yards or more.
“When you add a playmaker like that to your football team, there’s excitement,” Bears coach Matt Eberflus said. “Automatic excitement in the whole building. It doesn’t matter what side you’re playing on because you know this guy is special, and he can make a lot of things happen.”
Khalil Herbert added a 56-yard catch-and-run touchdown
“When you increase your skill on your football team, the catch-and-runs get larger, and the stat line looks better,” Eberflus said.
Baker Mayfield on way to starter role?
Tampa Bay Bucs QB Baker Mayfield turned in a solid performance, completing 8 of 9 passes for 63 yards. Eventually, he should be named the starter over Kyle Trask.
“He was composed, did a good job of commanding the offense,” Bucs coach Todd Bowles said. “He made the plays he needed to make.”
Trask completed 6 of 10 for 99 yards and an interception.
Jean-Jacques Taylor is an NFL Insider for Sportsnaut and the author of the upcoming book “Coach Prime“, with Deion Sanders. Follow him on Twitter.