Bills' Josh Allen reflects on Damar Hamlin incident

Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen opened up about safety and teammate Damar Hamlin nearly losing his life this past January. 

"Talk about one of the hardest days of my life, seeing (this happen to) a brother that you've bled, sweat and cried with, and cried over," Allen said about Hamlin's collapse during an appearance on the "Like a Farmer" podcast, per Cody Benjamin of CBS Sports. "That night, we'll never forget the things that we saw, the things that we heard. For it to be on such a grand scale, on Monday night ... such a prime spotlight, everybody was watching, and it kind of stopped the world for the night. ... It really took an emotional toll on us, throughout the season."

Hamlin famously went into cardiac arrest during a "Monday Night Football" game at the Cincinnati Bengals on Jan. 2 and required CPR on the field before he was transported to a local hospital. The 25-year-old has since made a remarkable recovery and was cleared to resume football-related activities in April. Hamlin is working toward playing during the 2023 season, but his status for the Week 1 game at the New York Jets on Sept. 11 is understandably up in the air. 

Following the playoff loss to the Bengals in January, members of the Bills such as then-Buffalo guard Rodger Saffold admitted to experiencing an "emotionally draining" season. Allen indicated he and others in the locker room are bolstered by Hamlin's ongoing improvement. 

"Every day that we got back in the facility, we kept getting better and better news," Allen added about the 2021 sixth-round draft pick. "The first thing he said was, like, 'I'm playing again. Don't worry about me. I'll figure my piece out, and I'll be out there with y'all again.' ... It's been special to see. He's a special kid. He's got another purpose in life (now), and it's really cool. It's all about giving back. ... We'll see him on the field soon."

As of Thursday afternoon, OddsChecker listed Hamlin as the overwhelming betting favorite at -300 odds to earn Comeback Player of the Year honors for the upcoming season. Assuming he takes the field for even a single play, the award should be his to lose.