Column: Hamlin’s injury reveals authentic empathy

We have seen something different in the wake of Damar Hamlin’s traumatic injury on Monday Night Football on Jan. 2. Beginning seconds after Hamlin fell back to the turf, the strong religious orientation of many NFL players and fans has been hard to miss. Men who were blocking and tackling one another just minutes before were shown on national television praying, shedding tears and holding hands. We have also heard any number of active and former NFL players talk about their love for one another.

This is an occasion to rethink stereotypes about NFL athletes, but also men more generally. Less than a week after leaving the field in an ambulance, in a video call with his teammates, Hamlin flexed his muscles and said, “love you boys.”

On a big stage, we saw a different side of masculinity. Rather than explaining it away as a moment of vulnerability and recognition of the precariousness of their own careers and lives, we should see it for what it is: an honest and authentic reaction to an unexpected event that touched one of their brothers, another man whom they deeply cared about.

As Hamlin moves forward on his road to recovery, we should all take this moment, which originally shocked us, to think about how 21 players on the field, others on the bench and so many of us watching in the stadium or on television reacted to the play that sent a healthy young man into cardiac arrest. Were it not for the preparation and action of first responders, Hamlin may well have died. In that moment, the players and others dropped their show of bravado and honestly revealed their emotions.

Professional football — college and high school football as well — is a violent game, but it is also a multibillion-dollar business. Players’ skill and the drama and risk of the game draw millions of fans who buy tickets, merchandise and are the basis for lucrative television contracts. Honestly, given this fan base and the revenue it produces, football is not going anywhere anytime soon.

Rather than unconditionally dismissing the game as too violent and its players as dangerous and threatening, it is important to evaluate positive elements of the game and those who play it. Steps have been taken to make the game safer. Players and owners are increasingly scrutinized for their actions, including misogynistic views and behavior. These initiatives are overdue and ought to continue.

We also need to highlight and encourage the positive aspects of football. It encourages people — yes, there are women’s professional tackle football teams and leagues — to do hard things. Success in football calls for individual excellence, but also concerted teamwork. Players overcome fears, but also demonstrate discipline and commitment. And, in its scariest moments, football affords players and fans a moment to reveal their faith in a higher power and show authentic emotion.

Athletes have a unique platform to influence fans, particularly young people. We have seen their impact as agents of social change, most recently on the actions of Colin Kaepernick and subsequently during protests in response to the killing of George Floyd. The reaction to Hamlin’s injury illustrates that the actions and statements of athletes may also model moments of individual introspection and growth.