The journey of Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin, who suffered a cardiac arrest during an NFL game on January 2, 2023, has inspired millions as a powerful story of resilience and recovery. While his remarkable comeback provided a beacon of hope, it also became a target for baseless conspiracy theories. Claims suggesting his collapse was linked to COVID-19 vaccines or that he was replaced by a “body double” have been thoroughly debunked, yet they continue to circulate, demonstrating how misinformation can persist even in the face of clear evidence.
Just weeks after the life-threatening incident, Hamlin made a highly anticipated return to the team’s stadium on January 22, 2023, to watch a playoff game, a momentous public appearance that truly showcased his incredible progress. Yet, this triumphant moment unfortunately ignited a firestorm of speculation online, with photos and videos of him wearing a red outfit, his head covered by a hoodie, mask, and glasses, fueling a surge of outlandish rumors that he was not actually present.
According to one particularly pervasive conspiracy theory, the “real” Damar Hamlin had supposedly died due to the COVID vaccine, and an individual was now standing in for him. This assertion, however, was immediately recognized as nothing more than a baseless fabrication. The social media posts pushing these claims lacked any verifiable information about Hamlin’s purported death, and many originated from accounts with a documented history of disseminating misleading narratives about the effects of COVID-19 vaccines.
In striking contrast to these unfounded allegations, reliable news sources, official social media channels for both the Buffalo Bills and the NFL, and even the team’s coach, Sean McDermott, have unequivocally confirmed the football star’s attendance at the January 22 game, providing compelling evidence that led to the claim being promptly rated as ‘False.’
Many social media posts that tried to raise the alarm about this particular conspiracy theory pointed to video footage of Hamlin entering the game with his head covered, along with other clips from CBS and the NFL that didn’t clearly show his face, prompting one tweet to question, ‘[Why] did he never take his ski mask off? WTF is going on here? #bodydouble? […]’ which perfectly illustrated the prevailing sentiment among many conspiracy theorists.
The concept of ‘body doubles’ sadly remains a popular and recurring type of conspiracy theory on the internet, a notion that has been debunked countless times and frequently resurfaces after a famous personality experiences a death or a significant medical emergency, exploiting moments of public concern to spread misinformation.
In Hamlin’s specific case, some social media posts took the conspiracy theory a disturbing step further, not only promoting the idea of a stand-in but also directly blaming the COVID vaccine for allegedly causing his death or rendering him unresponsive, an alarming escalation following previous unfounded rumors that had already attempted to link his cardiac arrest to the vaccine.
If, hypothetically speaking, Damar Hamlin had died for any reason, particularly due to complications from vaccination, there would be public records documenting the cause and manner of his death, along with the date it supposedly occurred. Such files, if they existed, would be eminently newsworthy, immediately attracting the attention of journalists during their routine scans of medical investigators’ rosters of recently deceased individuals, thereby informing the public of his passing.
Hamlin himself, demonstrating remarkable poise and a touch of humor, seemingly addressed these preposterous theories head-on with a tweet featuring a photograph of himself standing next to a vibrant wall mural, performing his signature ‘heart’ gesture, accompanied by the simple yet powerful caption: ‘Clone,’ a subtle but firm refutation that underscored the sheer absurdity of the claims.
Regarding his presence at the January 22 game, the official Buffalo Bills Twitter account posted a video of Hamlin’s arrival at the stadium, which showed his face still covered, but also confirmed the attendance of his mother and brother, warmly declaring in the tweet, ‘Welcome home, @HamlinIsland,’ serving as a clear and heartwarming endorsement of his presence.
He was also observed watching the game from a private room, interacting with the crowd by gesturing and making his signature “heart” sign with his hands. The NFL further amplified this moment by tweeting a video, though footage of Hamlin was not entirely visible, partly due to the wintery weather conditions prevailing during the game. From a different vantage point inside that same room, the Buffalo Bills’ Twitter account provided additional visual confirmation, showing him standing alongside his brother.
Bills coach Sean McDermott provided valuable context to reporters, explaining that Hamlin had been consistently visiting the stadium, meeting with his teammates, and showing tangible signs of recovery since his on-field cardiac arrest weeks prior. McDermott stated, “It’s limited, just overall. But he comes in and really just started really today or yesterday and just trying to get back to a little bit of a routine and just get himself acclimated again and taking it one step, one baby step, at a time here.” This confirmed his gradual return to normalcy and direct interaction with the team.
While it remained unclear why Hamlin had chosen not to fully show his face in all photographs or videos, the Buffalo Bills were reportedly contacted for comment on this aspect, with intentions to update information upon receiving a response. However, the unequivocal confirmation of his presence by team officials and teammates speaks volumes.
Anti-vaccine activists, who had already propagated the unfounded belief that a COVID vaccine caused Damar Hamlin’s cardiac arrest, rapidly pivoted to this new conspiracy theory to rationalize his swift recovery. The outlandish nature of the “body double” theory gained sufficient traction to elicit a direct response from Bills quarterback Josh Allen, who, on a podcast, emphatically dismissed it, stating, “That’s stupid.”
Allen further elaborated on the podcast, confidently refuting the claims with firsthand knowledge, explaining, “One: That’s Damar’s swag. He likes wearing that. Two: He was in the locker room with us pre-game. So, yes, that was Damar.” He firmly concluded, “There’s absolutely zero chance. That’s the Damar Hamlin. That’s our guy. That’s our brother. He was with us pre-game, post-game — he was up in the suite with his family, his little brother. One hundred percent.”
This recent conspiracy theory involving Damar Hamlin starkly illustrates the extent to which some anti-vaccine activists will go to promote the false narrative that COVID-19 vaccines cause widespread harm. It also troublingly reveals how such baseless claims, no matter how far-fetched, continue to find traction and resonate with a growing audience, highlighting the ongoing challenge of combating health-related misinformation.
