Inside The Panthers

Pitt Football: Damar Hamlin Wins NFLPA Alan Page Community Award

After his charitable foundation earned millions of dollars, former Pitt Panther Damar Hamlin won the NFLPA Alan Page Community Award.

Stephen Thompson

Pitt Football: Damar Hamlin Wins NFLPA Alan Page Community Award
Pitt Football: Damar Hamlin Wins NFLPA Alan Page Community Award /
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PITTSBURGH -- Former Pitt Panthers safety Damar Hamlin was honored by the NFL Players Association during Super Bowl week in Pheonix, Arizona. After his charitable foundation earned more than $9 million in donations during Hamlin's recovery from going into sudden cardiac arrest on the field of Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati during the Bills-Bengals game in January, Hamlin won the NFLPA Alan Page Community Award, the highest honor the NFLPA can give to an individual. 

Hamlin's work with his charitable foundation, the Chasing M's Foundation, which he started in 2020 while he was still in college at Pitt, was cited as the reason for giving him the award. He accepted it in person and delivered a short speech. 

"One of my favorite quotes: 'It's a blessing to be a blessing,'" Hamlin said. "With that being said, I plan to never take this position for granted, and always have an urgent approach in making a difference in the community — where I come from and also in communities across the world."

Originally created $2,500 for a toy drive in his hometown of McKees Rocks, Hamlin said he will now have to find other, bigger ways to impact the community around him with all the money he now has. 

"I'm so excited for the things that I have planned in the future for these kids – all across the country now," Hamlin said in the video. “While I'm so thankful to everybody, I know that it isn't enough just to be thankful. … This is just the beginning of the impact that I wanted to have on the world. And with God's guidance, I will continue to do wonderful and great things.”

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Stephen Thompson
STEPHEN THOMPSON

Stephen Thompson graduated with a bachelor's degree in communications and political science from Pitt in April 2022 after spending four years as a sports writer and editor at The Pitt News, the University of Pittsburgh's independent, student-run newspaper.  He primarily worked the Pitt men's basketball beat, and filled in on coverage of football, volleyball, softball, gymnastics and lacrosse, in addition to other sports as needed. His work at The Pitt News has won awards from the Pennsylvania News Media Association and Associated College Press.  During the spring and summer of 2021, Stephen interned for Pittsburgh Sports Now, covering baseball in western Pennsylvania. Hailing from Washington D.C., family ties have cultivated a love of Boston's professional teams and Pitt athletics, and a fascination with sports in general.  You can reach Stephen by email at stephenethompson00@gmail.com and follow him on Twitter. Read his latest work:

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