Damar Hamlin lives; COVID-19 Antivax Conspiracy Theory Wrong

Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin suffered cardiac arrest Jan. 2 after making a tackle during a game against the Cincinnati Bengals and was hospitalized for nine days. After being discharged from the hospital, he made his first public appearance when the Bills faced the Bengals again on January 22.

But some people claimed online Hamlin did not survive – argue because his face is covered In public appearances or because he could not be positively identified, the person posing as Hamlin was in fact one actor, body double or a clone.

A tweet with more than 4 million views says, “Why didn’t the NFL show us the face of Damar Hamlin?” Many commentators offered up the popular conspiracy theories as to why he wasn’t visible.

Did Damar Hamlin actually die from cardiac arrest as conspiracy theorists claim?

No, Damar Hamlin is not dead as conspiracy theorists claim.

Following Damar Hamlin’s Jan. 2 cardiac arrest and collapse in the field in Cincinnati, he was rushed to nearby UC Health. Doctors there gave an update on his condition on January 5 and said he was alive. When Hamlin woke up, he wrote to the doctors asking who won the game, several news outlets, including VERIFY partner broadcaster WGRZ, reported.

When Hamlin returned to New York, he was admitted to the Buffalo General Medical Center/Gates Vascular Institute in downtown Buffalo, where doctors said he was fine. He was released from Buffalo General on January 11 and doctors said it was safe for him to be released.

Damar Hamlin has posted on his social media channels since his collapse, even while he was in the hospital. A photo he posted to Instagram on Jan. 8, six days after his cardiac arrest, shows him alive in a hospital bed.

Hamlin also posted a photo of himself in a tweet that appears to mock claims that he’s actually a clone.

Hamlin’s teammate, Bills quarterback Josh Allen, addressed the claims Jan. 24 Kyle Brandt’s Basement Podcast.

“Yeah, that’s stupid,” Allen said during his podcast appearance. He also expressed shock that these claims even exist.

Allen said Hamlin was in the locker room with them before the Bengals-Bills game on Jan. 22.

“There’s absolutely no chance, there’s absolutely no chance,” Allen said of the claims that Hamlin died and was replaced. “He’s Damar Hamlin. This is our type. This is our brother. He was with us, before the game, after the game. He was 100 percent up in the suite with his family, his little brother. So people need to stop that [expletive].”

The Buffalo Bills also posted a video of Hamlin arriving in a golf cart before the Jan. 22 game. Also the NFL posted a tweet shows Hamlin in the suite at play. VERIFY has reached out to the bills for comment but has received no response at the time of publication.

Some conspiracy theorists suggested online Hamlin’s cardiac arrest was caused by the COVID-19 vaccine. VERIFY has determined that there is no evidence that cardiac arrest in athletes can be linked to the COVID vaccine.