Inside Eagles: Miles Sanders FaceTimes with ‘best friend’ Damar Hamlin after emotional week

Sanders spends a lot of time in the offseason with Hamlin, who is also from Pittsburgh. Hamlin reportedly made significant strides in his recovery on Friday.

Eagles running back Miles Sanders runs drills during practice at the NovaCare Complex on Thursday.Read moreMonica Herndon / Staff Photographer

by Josh Tolentino

Published Jan. 6, 2023, 2:44 p.m. ET

Throughout the season, The Inquirer’s Eagles reporters will compile a weekly report on what they’re hearing and seeing from inside the locker room at the NovaCare Complex.

Miles Sanders is still sorting through his emotions, but the Eagles running back got a big lift Friday when he shared a FaceTime visit with his “best friend,” Damar Hamlin.

Sanders was brought to tears on Monday night when Hamlin, a Buffalo Bills safety, suffered cardiac arrest and collapsed on the field after making a tackle during a game against the Bengals in Cincinnati. Hamlin received CPR on the field and was transported to the University of Cincinnati Medical Center, where he remains in critical condition. On Thursday and Friday, Hamlin showed tremendous signs of improvement. According to the Bills, Hamlin is no longer using a breathing tube and he also spoke Friday for the first time since his heart stopped.

Sanders and Hamlin are both from Pittsburgh. In the offseason, they often spend time together and support each other’s foundations and youth camps in their hometown. In addition to Sanders, Hamlin also has relationships with Eagles cornerback Avonte Maddox and wide receiver A.J. Brown. Maddox was a teammate at the University of Pittsburgh. Brown and Hamlin became friends as high school players at a seven-on-seven recruiting showcase in Oregon.

“This week hasn’t been fun, I’m not going to lie,” Sanders said during a break in preparations for Sunday’s game against the New York Giants. “That’s one of my best friends — Damar is my best friend. We’ve known each other since [our] high school days, playing football against each other in Pittsburgh. It was tough.”

Sanders has found peace with the situation thanks to Hamlin’s evolving recovery. The 24-year-old safety briefly addressed his Bills teammates on Friday morning during a FaceTime call, and also FaceTimed with Sanders before the Eagles practiced on Friday afternoon. The duo typically call each other after every game, according to Sanders.

“I’m just so happy he’s doing better,” Sanders said. “He’s physically speaking to me. It’s such a blessing. He’s talking, communicating, breathing on his own. I’m just happy for him. I’m more excited than anything. That stuff scared me. It scared the [bleep] out of me. I’m still a little shook up. We put our life on the line for this [sport], it’s definitely something that’s eye-opening. We put our hearts out there. People don’t understand the stuff we go through. I’m just happy that he’s getting better.”

He continued: “We became close through competing. We did a lot of seven-on-sevens against each other. I was over here stressing for him, but he’s going to be good. The team helped me get through this. That’s my dawg. I was hurting. I was genuinely hurting. I was terrified. He scared me, he scared me for real.

“I’m just so happy he’s still here with us.”

Sanders is enjoying his first Pro Bowl season, although he’s in somewhat of a rut with a nagging injury to his left knee. After not turning the ball over during the first 13 games, Sanders fumbled in consecutive games against the Chicago Bears and Dallas Cowboys in Weeks 15 and 16.

Last Sunday, he appeared in a season-low 22 offensive snaps during the Eagles’ upset loss to the New Orleans Saints. Sanders was still effective, finishing with 61 yards rushing on 12 carries (5.1 yards per rush).

Through 16 games, Sanders has compiled 1,236 rushing yards on 248 carries with a career-high 11 rushing touchdowns. He’s also caught 20 passes for 78 yards. The fourth-year tailback was listed as a limited participant during the first two practices of the week but is expected to play Sunday against the New York Giants.

“I think Miles has had a good week of mental preparation, and also a good week of practice,” coach Nick Sirianni said. “I can’t imagine what he had to go through mentally this week because I know [Sanders and Hamlin] are really close. We just tried to be there for Miles. I could see the guys put their arms around Miles. We’re just thrilled obviously and thankful that Damar is getting better first and foremost. But you tend to think about your guys also in that scenario.

“I think Miles had a great week of preparation. And sometimes when you come in this building or you go out to the field, there is an escape from some of the things that you might be having to go through. ... You find out in these moments just how precious everything is, how precious life is.”