ESPN

‘Buffalo’s relationship with its football team is seemingly unlike any other in the league. Lifelong residents call it intimate and familial. Players aren’t referred to by their first and last names, they’re simply known as Josh, Stefon or Damar. And through all the recent tragedies, the Bills have provided fans with comfort, love and relief from the heartaches of the past year.’

‘The game would take place at 6:30 p.m. ET on Sunday, Jan. 29. All other potential AFC Championship Game matchups would take place at the home stadium of the higher seed, the league said.’

‘Bills coach Sean McDermott said that they will leave it up to Hamlin when he would like to return to the team facility.’

‘”He is currently listed in stable condition and continues to make significant progress in his recovery,” the hospital said in a statement. “The goal of the transfer to Buffalo General Medical Center/Gates Vascular Institute is to get him closer to home for further evaluation, recovery and eventually discharge and rehabilitation.”‘

‘”I’ve seen traumatic things in my life just growing up where I grew up at and just in the environment that I’ve been raised in, but it was always the end result of me walking up and seeing it. But there was never a time where I saw every event, everything transpire to the end. So, it’s tough, man.”‘

‘The 101-yard return came when Hines ran out of the end zone, straight through his blockers and then bounced past Patriots cornerback Myles Bryant as he tried to tackle him. The score gave the Bills a 21-17 lead in the third quarter.’

‘And the Bills promptly scored on the first play, with running back Nyheim Hines posting a 96-yard kickoff return to give the Bills an early 7-0 lead.’

‘”When you put real love out into the world it comes back to you 3x’s as much,” Hamlin wrote. “The Love has been overwhelming, but I’m thankful for every single person that prayed for me and reached out. We brung the world back together behind this. .. If you know me you know this only gone make me stronger. On a long road keep praying for me!”‘

‘”He’s a very straightforward guy, and the amount of expression that he walked into the team room with, you already knew. If you’re smiling like this, and you have a nice little walk, Sean McDermott, it’s only one thing that you could be that happy for,” Dawkins said.’

‘In the wake of the cancellation of Monday’s Bills-Bengals game, the following scenarios based on Week 18 results were approved for holding the title game at a neutral site…’.

‘Wearing Hamlin’s No. 3 jersey has become another way to support him. According to Michael Rubin, the CEO of Fanatics, the NFL’s apparel partner, Hamlin’s jersey quickly became the No. 1-selling jersey on the site.’

‘”He’s the pride of his family,” said Terry Totten, Hamlin’s high school coach. “He’s the pride of McKees Rocks. He’s the pride of Central Catholic and the University of Pittsburgh, all because he does everything in such a humble, giving way.”‘

‘In announcing the decision to cancel the game, the NFL cited three key factors: The outcome would have no bearing on which teams qualified for the postseason; playing the game would have altered the playoff schedule for the remaining teams; and not playing the game would allow all clubs to know the postseason possibilities before the start of Week 18.’

‘The Bills received updates on Hamlin’s condition from general manager Brandon Beane and head athletic trainer Nate Breske, who remained in Cincinnati with Hamlin and his family. The 24-year-old safety is now beginning to awaken as he shows “substantial improvement” in his recovery, per doctors at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center on Thursday. Hamlin is still considered critically ill and has many steps ahead, but it does appear that his neurological condition is intact, according to his doctors.’

‘Taylor said that after Hamlin was placed in the ambulance and driven out of Cincinnati’s Paycor Stadium at 9:25 p.m. local time, referee Shawn Smith’s officiating crew walked over to Cincinnati’s sideline to say that McDermott was still trying to sort out what happened. To expedite the decision-making process, Taylor walked over to Buffalo’s sideline to join the officials and McDermott’s conversation.’