AFC Notes: Damar Hamlin, Tua Tagovailoa, Bills, Dolphins, Jets

Bills

Bills S Damar Hamlin is back to playing football after his scary on-field incident against the Bengals last season and told reporters that he isn’t having second thoughts about making his return.

“I made the choice that I wanted to play, it wasn’t nobody else’s choice but mine,” Hamlin said, via the team’s website. “So making that choice, I know what comes with it. So, you see my cleats laced up and my helmet and shoulder pads on, there ain’t gonna be no hesitation because you can’t play this game like that. You’ll put yourself at more risk by hesitating. I’m out there and I’m just not thinking twice, I’m just playing my game.”

Dolphins

Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa has tried to do whatever he can to ensure the concussions that plagued him in 2022 don’t make another appearance in 2023. That’s included studying jiu-jitsu to fall in ways that minimize the impact to his head, as well as changing helmets to a model that’s slightly better in terms of reducing the risk to concussions. 

“On the [NFL’s helmet-information] chart, as we were discussing new helmets and whatnot, they were talking about that it’s one percent better than the helmet that I’m in,” Tagovailoa said via NBC Sports’ Peter King. “Now OK, you look at one percent. That’s not a drastic change from the helmet that I’m in. But then you look at playing on the field, and I figure that one percent better that you got on this play or that play, and eventually it ends up adding up. I’m willing to take my chances with it. I’m definitely going to see what this thing can do.”

• Per HC Mike McDaniel, Dolphins CB Cam Smith‘s shoulder injury is not long-term despite the team currently having no timetable for his return. (Marcel Louis-Jacques)

Jets

Jets C Connor McGovern knows the team didn’t use a second-round pick on C Joe Tippman for him to stay on the bench forever. Eventually, Tippman will take McGovern’s job, but that hasn’t stopped the veteran from passing on what he knows to the rookie. 

“If that’s part of my legacy, that’s part of my legacy,” McGovern said via ESPN’s Rich Cimini. “If I can turn him into a Hall of Famer and I’m sitting in the crowd in Canton one day and get to point him out while he’s giving his speech, that would be pretty cool, too.”

For now, McGovern has been working almost exclusively with the first team at center and seems on track to at least open the season as the starter.