The Damar Hamlin Incident Has More People Talking About Prayer — and It's a Good Thing

After last week’s scary moments when Damar Hamlin collapsed on the field during the Bills-Bengals Monday Night Football game, I’ve seen and heard a lot more people talk about prayer. I’ve never heard so much talk on ESPN about God and prayer, and it’s such a refreshing thing to see.

For starters, witness ESPN football analyst Dan Orlovsky’s heartfelt Tuesday prayer for Hamlin.

This isn’t some boilerplate, half-hearted prayer. Orlovsky, a devout Christian, prayed earnestly for comfort, healing, and peace in a way that viewers could tell that he meant it.

“It was on my heart,” Orlovsky told the Associated Press after his on-air prayer. “The more we pray, the more Damar may come out of it.”

Also on Tuesday, Buffalo Bills fans held a prayer vigil for Hamlin outside the stadium where he plays home games.

Bills fans holding a prayer vigil for Damar Hamlin and his family outside Highmark Stadium here in Buffalo. pic.twitter.com/pjXqj7eP3k

— Mike Giardi (@MikeGiardi) January 3, 2023

Other ESPN personalities have discussed prayer and faith lately, which is refreshing. The network included a praying hands emoji when it showed Hamlin watching the Bills game with some family members.

Damar Hamlin taking in the Bills game from the hospital 🙏
❤️

(via @HamlinIsland) pic.twitter.com/ZUG3QdVx9h

— ESPN (@espn) January 8, 2023

And the reliably woke NFL is trying to get in on the action — sort of. Here’s a tweet from before Saturday night’s game:

We are all thinking of you, Damar 💙 🙏 #LoveForDamar @jaguars | @titans

(via @espn) pic.twitter.com/byml3W4F3d

— NFL (@NFL) January 8, 2023

Nice try, NFL, but people generally don’t get on their knees in groups to merely think. Then again, the NFL may have been confused by the act of kneeling not done in protest.

“It’s just an unbelievable deal for both teams to get together, pray, and thank God for what’s happened this week,” said ESPN analyst Booger McFarland before the prayer.

“What a powerful moment,” remarked host Suzy Kolber after the prayer.

“You know, Damar Hamlin, if he’s shown us anything, he’s shown us that we as a people know how to unite, regardless of race, religion, or creed, and come together in prayer for one another,” McFarland replied. “There’s massive lessons that we have learned over the last few days from Damar Hamlin, and we’re so happy that he’s doing well.”

The prayers began in earnest as medics were tending to Hamlin following his collapse on the field. Bills Coach Sean McDermott encouraged both teams’ athletes to pray for Hamlin.

McDermott admitted in a press conference that his faith and a commitment to prayer help him and his players through adversity.

“I’m a Christian man to begin with and I’m not afraid to say that, and I know when you are trying to do good things or great things, sometimes you come across opposition,” he said.

Paul Putz, assistant director of the Faith & Sports Institute at Baylor University, explained to the AP that sports fans have turned to prayer in tragedy. He compared the prayerful response to the 1971 death of Chuck Hughes, the only NFL player to die on the field, with the prayers surrounding Hamlin.

“In 1971, Chuck Hughes — people were responding with prayer,” Putz said. “In 2023 when this happens with Hamlin, people responded with prayer again. But now, it’s amplified and scaled up because of the way social media works.”

“I think over time then we’ll come to realize what this signified, what it highlighted about the ongoing connection between religion and sports, which have been going on for a long time,” he added.

Hamlin has recognized the role all these prayers have played in his recovery as well.

The love is felt, & extremely real. No matter race or religion everybody coming together in prayer! 🙏❤️

— 𝐃𝐚𝐦𝐚𝐫 𝐇𝐚𝐦𝐥𝐢𝐧 (@HamlinIsland) January 8, 2023

It’s too early to tell whether this emphasis on prayer will stick with so many of these people who have rallied around Hamlin, but wouldn’t it be nice if it did? I told somebody over the weekend that it would be fascinating if the Hamlin situation triggered a revival in this country. I’m not naive enough to think it’s likely, but it’s certainly not beyond the realm of possibility — and God can use anything to bring Himself glory.

Somebody (like me) who believes that theology matters could rail against random people who might harbor incorrect beliefs or don’t believe in anything praying for Hamlin, but history shows us that people turn to God in crises. And praying for an NFL player is an opportunity for people to turn to faith in God. If praying for Hamlin gets someone’s foot in the door of faith, he or she can get theology right as a next step.

At the end of the day, more people are praying as a result of Damar Hamlin’s frightening collapse. If more people are going to God with their needs and concerns, it’s a good thing.