Per a profile by Tyler Dunne in Go Long TD, it’s apparent why everyone who knows Hamlin has so much respect for the second-year pro.
He grew up in McKees Rocks, Pennsylvania, about a 15-minute drive away from downtown Pittsburgh. Per 2018 statistics from City-Data, the crime rate in McKees Rocks “was higher than in 99.2 [percent] U.S. cities.”
Hamlin said it wasn’t always easy growing up, but his circumstances forged a toughness in him that helped him go from sixth-round draft pick to 14-game starter in 2022.
“You face uncomfortable situations early, which push you into that sink-or-swim mentality. Whenever you’re faced with competition in football, it’s just another bump in the road,” he told Dunne.
The profile was published before Hamlin’s rookie season in 2021 and highlights him as a person who overcame long odds to get to the NFL, with a purpose far greater than what could be accomplished on a football field.
Speaking to Dunne, Hamlin said, “I’ve got so many friends who didn’t make it to 21. It’s crazy. When you think about that — all the friends that you have — just imagine if half of them didn’t make it to 21.”
Injuries plagued him for two years at Pittsburgh, nearly ripping from him his sanctuary on the field.
“Football is supposed to be your getaway from everything. That’s really what it is for me. Football has been my getaway from my reality.”
Hamlin overcame those injuries and became a staple in the Pitt secondary, leading the team in tackles and pass breakups as senior while earning second-team All-ACC honors.
A couple other passages from the profile reverberate as millions of us grapple with what happened Monday night.
When mentioning Hamlin’s hopeful ascent from 212th overall pick in the 2021 draft to defensive difference-maker, Dunne wrote, “Hamlin could be that player because Hamlin has beaten the odds,” alluding to his rough upbringing.
Bricen Garner, a teammate at Pitt, noted to Dunne Hamlin’s perseverance: “Hamlin doesn’t view pain as a bad thing. He uses it. Always.”
