Damar Hamlin Documentary in the Works About NFL Player’s Recovery From On-Field Cardiac Arrest

Ryan Gajewski
·3 min read
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Damar Hamlin, the Buffalo Bills defensive player who made national headlines when he suffered cardiac arrest during an NFL game early this year, will be the subject of a documentary film about the 25-year-old athlete’s recovery and advocacy work.

The film, entitled Did We Win — which references a question Hamlin asked from his hospital bed about the Bills’ game against the Cincinnati Bengals after he awoke from medically induced sedation — is currently in production. Filmmaker Clay Tweel (Gleason) is directing the project that hails from Skydance Sports and NFL Films.

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Producers include FlynnPictureCo’s Beau Flynn and Parkside Films’ Shannon Riggs. Executive producers are FlynnPictureCo.’s Scott Sheldon, Asylum Entertainment Group’s Steve Michaels and Jodi Flynn, and Jaster Athletes’ Jordon Rooney.

Beau Flynn tells The Hollywood Reporter that he got involved with the project back in January, shortly after the Bills-Bengals game, and was proud to make this his company’s first foray into nonfiction filmmaking after such narrative movies as 2021’s Jungle Cruise and Red Notice.

“We’ve been with him every step of the way,” Flynn tells THR about Did We Win beginning to shoot as Hamlin was in the hospital and then later documenting his appointments with cardiologists. “He just continues to beat the odds at every turn. Now we’ll stay with him as the season unfolds on a Super Bowl-caliber team, and we’ll go from there. Already, this movie continues to be Rocky and Rocky II over and over again.”

Flynn praises Hamlin’s work with his Chasing M’s Foundation, which has worked with the American Heart Association to give individuals easier access to CPR training and has donated defibrillator paddles to youth sports organizations. The producer also heralds the documentary’s access to Hamlin’s on-field recovery through its collaboration with NFL Films.

“NFL Films was filming him all through training camp, and he was miked up,” Flynn adds. “Their audio is amazing and lets you really feel like you’re inside it.”

Monday Night Football viewers watched Jan. 2 as Hamlin made a tackle and then collapsed on the field as a result of cardiac arrest, leading medical staff to administer CPR and automated external defibrillation (AED) on the field. He was rushed to a local hospital in critical condition and was eventually discharged from a Buffalo facility nine days after the game. (Neither team earned a win, as the game was suspended due to the emergency and did not resume.)

Hamlin’s recovery has continued, and he was officially named a member of the Bills’ 53-man active roster last month. The player, who was listed as a backup safety throughout preseason, will not be active during the team’s season opener Monday night against the New York Jets, according to media reports.

“Damar is a real-life superhero. His impact and recovery in such a short period of time has been extraordinary to witness. I am honored that he and his family have entrusted us,” Flynn said in a statement. “We knew immediately Damar’s incredible story needed to be shared with audiences and look forward to taking this step into nonfiction with him.”

Tweel added, “I am incredibly grateful to be a part of telling this story alongside Beau. Damar and his family are true examples of strength and perseverance and I can’t wait to share their deeply emotional story with the world.”

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