The Buffalo Bills had no problem dispatching the Denver Broncos during Sunday’s wild-card playoff game. At a certain point, it was obvious this was a Buffalo party with a Bills team outclassing an inferior Denver opponent that’s probably still a year away from Super Bowl contention.
Bills starting safety Damar Hamlin really wanted to get in on the end-game fun with a big play. I know this because, as the Bills officially closed the Broncos out, he caught what felt like a surefire interception and unleashed a long, joyful celebration.
The chaotic sequence suggested Hamlin thought his pick would stand no matter what.
Damar Hamlin celebrating with all of Buffalo pic.twitter.com/smInjiL4Ur
— NFL on CBS 🏈 (@NFLonCBS) January 12, 2025
Except it didn’t.
Referee Bill Vinocich’s crew — who had an interesting interaction with Josh Allen earlier in the game — overturned Hamlin’s takeaway to an incompletion. On the sideline, the camera lingered on Hamlin and his extended stunned reaction with the dust settled:
Damar Hamlin is STUNNED pic.twitter.com/C5EVDGBEbM
— NFL on CBS 🏈 (@NFLonCBS) January 12, 2025
Man, you gotta feel for Hamlin. An overturned pick is such an awkward turn of events after his exuberant celebration. Well, the good news is his Bills won and are heading to the Divisional Round. So, things shouldn’t be so bad.
