Leading up to the Indiana Pacers road matchup with the Philadelphia 76ers, point guard T.J. McConnell showed support for Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin, who is in critical condition at Cincinnati Medical Center after going into cardiac arrest following a tackle during the first quarter of Bills-Bengals on Monday.
McConnell, a former Arizona Wildcat who is a fellow Pittsburgh native, wore Hamlin's Bills jersey before the Pacers face the Sixers on Wednesday. Hamlin attended Pittsburgh Central Catholic High School; McConnell went to Chartiers Valley High School, which is nearly 12 miles from Hamlin's alma mater.
“I just wanted to show support for a fellow Pittsburgh native and athlete, and let him and his family know that all of us here are thinking of him and praying for him.”T.J. McConnell arrived in a Damar Hamlin jersey tonight.💙❤️ pic.twitter.com/dlMesOBtou
— Indiana Pacers (@Pacers) January 4, 2023
“I just wanted to show support for a fellow Pittsburgh native and athlete, and let him and his family know that all of us here are thinking of him and praying for him," McConnell said in a released statement.
Jordon Rooney, a representative for the Hamlin family, told the NFL Network that “things are moving in a positive direction” regarding Hamlin's recovery.
Hamlin's "Chasing Ms" foundation has a GoFundMe account for a holiday toy drive, which had an initial goal of $2,500. It has reached over $6 million in donations since Hamlin's cardiac arrest.
