-
Alaina GetzenbergESPN
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen stepped back, scrambled and found tight end Dawson Knox in the back of the end zone.
Knox fell to the ground while making the catch but promptly rolled around, popped up and threw the ball in the air. The tight end then put up three fingers, formed a heart with his hands and said, “Love ya, boy.”
Safety Damar Hamlin, watching the game from the University of Cincinnati Medical Center, tweeted his response: “I love you too,” including an emoji of hands forming a heart.
The early second-quarter score gave the Bills a 14-7 lead over the New England Patriots as Buffalo held on to win 35-23 and clinch the No. 2 seed in the AFC, thanks in large part to two kickoff return touchdowns by Nyheim Hines, the first Bill to have two such scores in a game. The Bills will host the Miami Dolphins in the wild-card round of the playoffs next week.
The game, however, was all about Hamlin, with signs honoring him shown on the video board throughout the day and players honoring him in a variety of ways, including wide receiver John Brown giving the ball from his touchdown catch to assistant athletic trainer Danny Kellington, who administered CPR to Hamlin when he suffered cardiac arrest on the field Monday night.
The scoring for the Bills started on the first play with Hines posting a 96-yard kickoff return to give the Bills an early 7-0 lead.
Before the game, the Bills honored those who saved Hamlin’s life by naming all the team’s medical personnel and training staff, to a large round of applause and cheers. Some Bills players ran onto the field before the game with “3” and “Pray for Damar” flags. They then gathered in a circle at midfield.