Damar Hamlin BREAKING: New Contract with Buffalo Bills - Model for Major NFL Change?

The Bills and the NFL just made a contractual gesture that is a continuation of the outpouring of love in the direction of Damar Hamlin.

Sometimes, it's OK to bend the rules.

Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin, who suffered a cardiac arrest on Monday and has spent the week fighting for his life, has a contract that contains a standard "split'' clause designed to pay him at a lower rate.

But in light of his situation, the four-year $3.64 million agreement has been subjected to an adjustment, so despite the fact that he was placed on IR this week, Buffalo has (per NFL Network) worked out an agreement with the NFL and NFLPA to pay him in full.

The gesture is a continuation of the outpouring of love in the direction of Hamlin, 24, who posted to Instagram on Saturday as he continues to recover in critical condition at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center.

"When you put real love out into world it comes back to you 3x's as much," Hamlin wrote. "The Love has been overwhelming, but I'm thankful for every single person that prayed for me and reached out. We (brought) the world back together behind this. If you know me, you know this only gonna make me stronger. On a long road, keep praying for me!"

Hamlin's words of love and encouragement less than a week after sustaining a life-threatening medical scare are part of a miracle considering the fear the entire league felt after Monday's events.

And as Hamlin returns to Buffalo, maybe all of this will trigger another movement: Why in the multi-billion-dollar NFL is a "split contract'' still a thing?

Was it the right thing for the Bills and the league to adjust Hamlin's deal? Obviously. But Hamlin's salary for the year is $825,000, so had he been injured in a more "conventional'' way and moved to IR, his week's pay would've been cut by about $22,000.

Meaning ... if a guy gets hurt in this brutal sport, he gets punished with a 50-percent pay cut?! An NFL team really needs that $22,000 rebate?

Hamlin is a unique case in many ways, including the fact that woke last Wednesday and asked in writing if the Bills had beaten the Cincinnati Bengals.

But NFL players getting hurt is hardly unique. And robbing them of half their salary due to an injury is hardly fair.

Anyway, last week, Hamlin wasn't able to awaken to good news of a Bills win in Cincy, as his health took precedent over a football game that quickly took a backseat before being postponed and eventually cancelled altogether. Instead, his incredible fortune was through hearing the life-changing news that he was alive despite being without a pulse at one point when being surrounded by medical personnel on the field.

But the Bills did win on Sunday, topping the Patriots, as they head to the playoffs with a home game this week against the Dolphins ... Oh, and with a touching "apology'' from Damar for the incidents of the week.

More than $7 million has been donated to his GoFundMe page originally designed as a modest toy drive for underprivileged kids.

And he was able to watch as his playoff-bound Bills move to 13-3 ... while serving as an inspiration to so many.

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