Conspiracy Theorists Suspect Damar Hamlin, Who Attended Bills Playoffs Game Sunday, Is Actually Dead

Damar Hamlin attended the Buffalo Bills NFL playoff game on Sunday in a heartwarming return after he collapsed on the field just a few weeks ago due to cardiac arrest. This, apparently, led some social media users to conclude that he was dead.

Welcome home, @HamlinIsland. ❤️💙#CINvsBUF | #BillsMafia pic.twitter.com/OG88gibcVv

— Buffalo Bills (@BuffaloBills) January 22, 2023

Hamlin has been steadily recovering since the frightening January 2nd incident that medical experts have said could have killed him or left him neurologically damaged. He awoke from a coma on January 5th, and after trips to two hospitals, he's been recuperating at home.

A family spokesman told ESPN that "Damar still requires oxygen and is having his heart monitored regularly. He has visited with the team a few times but he still gets winded very easily. He's upbeat and positive and ready to continue to overcome this."

During his recovery period, Hamlin has been keeping up with his team and was able to attend Sunday's playoff game where the Cincinnati Bengals defeated the Buffalo Bills 27-10 in a snowy affair. He watched from a box seat where he was heavily bundled up against the Buffalo cold but was able to wave to a crowd of adoring fans.

Damar Hamlin taking in the game from the Bills’ suite ❤️💙

(via @BuffaloBills) pic.twitter.com/pfLfUmvhVc

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) January 22, 2023

Though a heartwarming story for most people, some have used Hamlin's life-threatening injury to promote conspiracy theories, particularly anti-vaccination conspiracies surrounding the COVID-19 vaccine. According to these, some have suggested that Hamlin's collapse was in some way related to being vaccinated — a claim with no proof that has been strongly refuted by doctors.

Apparently, the next step in this conspiracy was to allege that Hamlin was not actually attending Sunday's game at all and the "Hamlin" America saw was a "body double" to cover up for a deceased Hamlin. One key aspect to support the theory, according to conspiracy theorists, was that viewers did not see Hamlin's face clearly, as it was covered up in winter wear. A less skeptical person might point to the fact that it was 30 degrees and snowing in Buffalo, New York to explain why Hamlin was so bundled up, but to conspiracy theorists, it meant the NFL and other nefarious powers didn't want America to get a clear look at "Hamlin's" face.

I don’t know about you guys, but to me something is very “off” about this…

Apparently, Damar Hamlin was back at the stadium yesterday watching the Bills play for the first time since his cardiac arrest…

1. “Damar” is VERY heavily controlled by security. pic.twitter.com/UIO9PZYIAB

— Amy Lancaster🇺🇸 (@AmyLanc84991473) January 24, 2023

I equally believe there was a Damar Hamlin body double at the Bills game and simultaneously that it’s him and he may have stroke face, or some other reason to hide his face at the game. pic.twitter.com/PTrqmQGWI9

— Brian McWilliams (@BrianMcWilliams) January 24, 2023

I'm sorry, but this Damar Hamlin episode at the Bills stadium is beyond suspect. Why wasn't his family with him in the box and why did he never take his ski mask off? WTF is going on here? #bodydouble?#damarhamlim #conspiracytheory #VaccineDeaths pic.twitter.com/5HHq6aZslq

— Vidmax.com (@Newsfilter2) January 24, 2023

The theory was swiftly shut down by many after being spread on social media, including by Hamlin himself. The safety tweeted a picture of himself next to a mural painted in his honor with a joke caption reading, "Clone."

“Clone” 🥷🏽 pic.twitter.com/CLpfDsNzrV

— 𝐃𝐚𝐦𝐚𝐫 𝐇𝐚𝐦𝐥𝐢𝐧 (@HamlinIsland) January 24, 2023

Additionally, Bills teammates have posted pictures of Hamlin visiting the team's facility during his recovery period. TMZ went so far as to call people close to Hamlin to get their take on the conspiracy, and were able to include that Hamlin is in fact alive and attended the Bills game Sunday.