The inspiring journey of Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin, following his terrifying cardiac arrest during an NFL game on January 2, 2023, has captivated millions. His swift and remarkable recovery has been a beacon of hope, but it has also, unfortunately, become fertile ground for a complex web of unfounded conspiracy theories. These baseless claims, suggesting everything from his death due to the COVID-19 vaccine to his replacement by a “body double,” have been definitively disproven, yet they continue to circulate across various online platforms.
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. This momentous public appearance, a testament to his incredible progress, instead ignited a firestorm of speculation online. Photographs and videos showed him in a red outfit, his head covered by a hoodie, a mask, and glasses, prompting a surge of outlandish rumors that he was not, in fact, 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 stark contrast to these unfounded allegations, reputable news outlets, official social media accounts for both the Buffalo Bills and the NFL, and even the team’s coach, Sean McDermott, unequivocally confirmed the football star’s attendance at the January 22 game. For these compelling reasons, the claim was promptly rated as “False.”
Many social media posts that attempted to sound the alarm on this particular conspiracy pointed to video footage of Hamlin entering the game with his head covered, as well as other clips from CBS and the NFL that did not clearly show his face. One tweet, illustrative of the prevailing sentiment among conspiracy theorists, questioned, “[Why] did he never take his ski mask off? WTF is going on here? #bodydouble? […]”
The concept of “body doubles” is, regrettably, a popular and recurring type of conspiracy theory on the internet, which has been debunked countless times. It frequently surfaces after a famous personality experiences a death or a significant medical emergency, leveraging moments of public concern for the spread of misinformation.
In Hamlin’s case, some social media posts escalated the theory, not only promoting the notion of a stand-in but also directly blaming the COVID vaccine for allegedly causing his death or rendering him unresponsive. This alarming progression came after previous unfounded rumors also attempted to link his cardiac arrest itself 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, with remarkable poise and a touch of humor, seemingly addressed these preposterous theories head-on. He tweeted a photograph of himself standing next to a vibrant wall mural, distinctly performing his signature “heart” gesture, accompanied by the simple, yet powerful, caption: “Clone.” This subtle but firm refutation underscored the absurdity of the claims.
Regarding the January 22 game, the official Buffalo Bills Twitter account posted a video of Hamlin’s arrival at the stadium, showing his face still covered, but also confirming the attendance of his mother and brother. The tweet warmly declared, “Welcome home, @HamlinIsland,” a clear 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, refuting the claims with firsthand knowledge. He explained, “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 most recent conspiracy theory about Hamlin profoundly underscores the extreme lengths to which anti-vaccine activists are willing to go to perpetuate the false narrative that COVID vaccines are responsible for widespread injury and death. It also alarmingly highlights a widening audience that appears susceptible to even the most absurd misinformation propagated by the anti-vaccine movement.
