Football is just a game. We tell ourselves that. We tell opposing fans that when their jeering, cheering, and taunting is more than we want to hear. But every week, as fans, we get immersed in the game and ride an emotional roller coaster that is charged by the scoreboard, our favorite team’s record, and how the media praises — or attacks — our favorite players. The players are “ours,” and fellow fans become “family” that we connect with through tailgates, season tickets, or through social media. It’s the air we breathe. The game consumes us. It’s our heartbeat.
Damar Hamlin on playing future: “Eventually”
