During a visit to the White House on Thursday, Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin told Joe Biden that he believes he will be able to return to playing in the NFL one day.
“You think you’re going to be able to play?” Biden asked.
“Yeah, I think so,” Hamlin replied.
“Good, I hope so,” Biden responded.
“God willing,” Hamlin added.
Damar, you've made me – and your country – proud.
Looking forward to watching you lead the way back on the field. pic.twitter.com/ljROej9NBe
— President Biden (@POTUS) March 31, 2023
While it’s good that Hamlin believes he’ll play again, the bigger question is, why did he collapse in the first place? Is anyone even bothering to ask this question anymore?
When asked by former NFL player and Good Morning America host Michael Strahan about his unexpected cardiac arrest during an interview in February, Damar Hamlin was notably evasive about the cause.
“You’re 24, peak physical condition, could run circles around me right now. How did doctors describe what happened to you?” Strahan asked.
After a pause of approximately 12 seconds, Hamlin replied with hesitation, “That’s something I want to stay away from.” Strahan’s question was fair, and given the amount of time that had passed since the incident, it was expected that doctors would have some sort of explanation or theory.
Full transparency is critical in situations like Damar Hamlin’s cardiac arrest. When there is a lack of transparency, it creates an environment for speculation, misinformation, and rumors to spread. It is not clear what Damar Hamlin’s vaccination status is, and a full diagnosis of what caused his cardiac arrest hasn’t been revealed. Hamlin’s Good Morning America appearance certainly raised some red flags.
The most common theory in the immediate aftermath of the incident was that Hamlin experienced commotio cordis, which is a rare but deadly disturbance of heart rhythm that can occur when the heart is struck at a critical moment during the heartbeat cycle.
However, many dispute this theory and point to the possibility that it could be related to myocarditis, a well-known side-effect of the mRNA COVID-19 vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna.
Related: Why Did Damar Hamlin Collapse? It’s Okay to Question the Narrative
The mere suggestion that there could be a connection between Hamlin’s vaccination status and his cardiac arrest is considered taboo, and the media quickly dismissed the possible connection as a conspiracy theory.
But there is a legitimate concern that there is a connection. Research has also shown that the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines have a higher likelihood of causing myocarditis in young men than natural COVID-19 infections.
Studies have shown that there is a 1-in-5,000 to a 1-in-6,000 chance of myocarditis in young men who receive a second dose of the mRNA vaccine. According to Doran Fink, M.D., deputy director of the clinical side of the FDA’s Division of Vaccines and Related Products Applications, the risk of myocarditis is higher than the risk from COVID-19 for males under 40 years old when considering the balance of risks and benefits.
Without clear and accurate information, people may start to fill in the gaps with their own assumptions, which can be harmful and lead to further confusion. The public has the right to know what really happened to Damar Hamlin.
