To say that Buffalo Bills fans have high expectations going into this season would be quite an understatement. After coming within one play of getting to their first Super Bowl since 1994, and winning the AFC East for the last five seasons in a row, the Bills are on a “Super Bowl or Bust” trajectory.
ESPN BET sets the Bills odds of winning the Super Bowl this season at +700, or 12.5 percent â that’s higher than any other team except the reigning Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles and the Baltimore Ravens. But those teams are given odds of +650, or 13.3 percent, so not too much difference.
Even Head Coach Worried About Preseason Futility
With the even-greater pressure than usual to win this year, the Bills start in the preseason is causing some consternation with Bills fans, and though preseason games are usually considered meaningless â at least when it comes to predicting regular season performance â even Buffalo head coach Sean McDermott has said that the team’s performance in their two games so far has him “concerned.”
After losing the preseason opener 34-25 to the New York Giants â a team coming off a 3-14 season â Buffalo hit a new level of futility on Sunday in Chicago, failing to score even a point against the Bears while allowing 38.
Hamlin Called ‘Nothing More Than Average’
Needless to say, Bills fans were not thrilled â but one of the main targets of their ire was a player whose story has been one of the most inspiring in the NFL â 27-year-old safety Damar Hamlin.
But it wasn’t just fans. The performances of Hamlin and the Bills other safety, 2024 second-round pick Cole Bishop, did not go unnoticed by the media covering the game either.
“Safeties Cole Bishop and Damar Hamlin looked even more inept than they did when the Chiefs scored a season-high 32 points to advance to Super Bowl LIX,” wrote SI.com‘s Ralph Ventre on Monday morning, referring the the Bills’ AFC Championship game loss in January.
“Despite his inspiring story of courage and resilience, as an NFL player, Hamlin has proven to be nothing more than an average backup. He seemed to take poor angles on multiple occasions against the Bears, allowing for additional yardage after the catch,” Ventre continued.
Hamlin’s Inspirational Comeback Story
Hamlin suffered a cardiac arrest during a game against the Cincinnati Bengals on January 2, 2023 after a violent collision with Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins. He remained in a coma until January 5 â but miraculously came back to play for the Bills on November 13, 2023.
In 2024 he played 14 games, recording two interceptions and 62 solo tackles. But Bills fans were irate at his performance against the Bears Sunday.
“All jokes aside Damar Hamlin would be doing DoorDash right now had he not gotten hurt on national tv,” wrote one fan online. “Bills can never cut him or else theyâll look like **** not to mention the fame he got off it.”
Bills Fans Unload Frustrations on Hamlin
“If Damar Hamlin didnât die on national television he wouldnât be on this Billsâ roster,” wrote another particularly unfeeling fan.
“Damar I see him, the less I like him,” wrote another, with yet another fan posting, “Iâve seen pop warner players react and tackle better.”
“Sooner or later this sympathy train has to come to a stop,” yet another posted. “He has no business as a starting safety in the NFL.”
But Hamlin was not without his defenders. One fan responded to NFL writer Jarret Bailey’s post stating, “Iâm tired of watching Damar Hamlin.”
“Okay, then watch other players,” the Hamlin defender wrote. “If you’re focusing on him, then that’s on you. Is it a crush or something? You can be honest.”
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