Behind every tattoo is a story, and Damar Hamlin’s is one that football fans and Cincinnati residents will never forget.
The Buffalo Bills safety showed off some new ink ahead of the 2025 NFL season, which will be his second since suffering cardiac arrest on the field in Cincinnati − a moment that brought Bills and Bengals fans together.
Damar Hamlin is a professional football player in the National Football League.
His new art, created by the famed tattoo artist Ganga, which covers Hamlin’s entire back, conveys everything about the happenings on the field from that January day.
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Instagram account @nopain.by.ganga posted a short video of Hamlin getting his massive back tattoo.
“Thanks for your trust,” the Aug. 13 post read.
When Hamlin woke up following the near-fatal incident, he famously asked Cincinnati doctors, “Did we win?”
Those words are featured prominently on Hamlin’s back, surrounded by a “Monday Night Football” logo along with words of encouragement and a “Pray for Damar” flag. Ganga also added a Paycor Stadium element − the site of Hamlin’s cardiac arrest − to the display.
Coupled with plenty of No. 3s, the tattoo managed to accomplish just about every element of the incident.
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Hamlin’s heart stopped after he made a tackle against the Cincinnati Bengals on “Monday Night Football” on Jan. 2, 2023. He briefly got up and then fell to the ground, prompting a rush of medical personnel onto the field. After providing CPR, Hamlin was loaded onto a stretcher and into an ambulance.
The game was suspended and postponed.
In the meantime, Hamlin spent time on a ventilator before being able to talk to his family and breathe on his own on Jan. 6.
It was an unforgettable moment in NFL history, one that Hamlin would never forget, especially. Now he has the entire story on his back.
Ever since his near-fatal incident, Hamlin has been giving back to the Queen City.
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In November 2023,  Hamlin had dinner with the 10 medical professionals who saved his life, where he told them about scholarships started in their honor.
“I surprised them with a scholarship named after each of them that will support youth in Cincy to chase their dreams,” Hamlin wrote in a post to X, formerly known as Twitter. “Wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for them!”
Hamlin’s charity, The Chasing M’s Foundation, is dedicated to “the development, health & safety of youth through sports, engagement activities, training & programming.”
Hamlin’s Cincinnati Heroes Scholarship program will award $1,000 scholarships to 10 students each year for the next three years, ESPN reported. The scholarships will go to underserved students who hope to attend Greater Cincinnati-area private high schools, trade schools or universities.
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“I want to give a big, tremendous acknowledgement and credit to my care team,” Hamlin previously told The Enquirer. “They’re the reason why I am able to stand tall today and continue on my mission of life on the field and off the field. Their care for me was unmatched … and they would’ve done what they did for me for anybody.”
The Buffalo Bills gather as an ambulance parks on the field while CPR is administered to Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin (3) after a play in the first quarter of the NFL Week 17 game between the Cincinnati Bengals and the Buffalo Bills at Paycor Stadium in Downtown Cincinnati on Monday, Jan. 2, 2023. The game was suspended with suspended in the first quarter after Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin (3) was taken away in an ambulance following a play.
Enquirer’s David Wysong contributed to this report.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Damar Hamlin gets tattoo inspired by cardiac arrest incident in Cincy