Damar Hamlin’s high school coach explains what makes him so well-loved

Geoff Bennett:

One of Damar Hamlin first thoughts after he woke up in the intensive care unit last night was to ask in writing, who won Monday night's Bills-Bengals game, where the Bills safety went into cardiac arrest, to which his doctors say they told him: "Damar, you won. You have won the game of life."

William Brangham is back with a conversation with someone who knows Hamlin well.

William Brangham:

So, for a better understanding of Damar Hamlin and his connection to his hometown of Pittsburgh. I'm joined now by his former high school football coach.

Terry Totten just retired after nearly four decades in and around football. For the last 21 years, he was the head coach at Central Catholic High School in Pittsburgh, where Hamlin attended and played.

Coach Totten, thank you so much for talking to us. I know this has got to be a pretty rough stretch for you all.

Could you just take us back to Monday night, when you saw what was happening in that game? Can you just tell us how — what was that like for you?

Terry Totten, Former High School Coach of Damar Hamlin: Just like everybody else, his parents, his teammates, it was horror unfolding on the football field.

Anybody who watches a lot of football knows that that was not a standard injury. You could see in the faces of his teammates the concern, the tears, the drama of the medical people getting out there as quickly as they can. Everybody associated with this game, that's the last thing they want to see. It's a kick in the gut. It's a horror movie unfolding in front of your eyes.

William Brangham:

You were his coach all through high school. Can you just give us a sense, what was he like as a teenager?

Terry Totten:

He was an incredible person, very, very quiet, very steady, very even demeanor no matter what.

When he was at the height of things or going through some of the adversities — he was hurt for a couple of games one year — it was all the same standard. It was all the same level of commitment, loyalty to the team. He never wavered. He didn't go up and down, like a lot of teenagers do, emotionally. He was steady.

I have said that word 2,000 times in the last four days. And that was his trademark, that he was — he was an even-keeled guy, mature beyond his years, even at the age of — when I got him here at 14. He just seemed to be level-headed and steady as she goes.

William Brangham:

And now to see him and the prowess he's showed on the field, did it make sense to you that — did he seem destined for the NFL back then?

Terry Totten:

Well, I know it was a dream of his. And it is now coming to light — it sort of came to light the last couple of years for me that he had coinciding driving goals.

One was to play in the National Football League, and one wants to use that platform to return to his community, this community here, his geographic community, his hometown, and to the people who had helped him get there. He was going to use his platform to help people come back through the same system he did.

He avails his time over here at Central Catholic. He returns to our youth camp often, often taking pictures with the kids or throwing the ball around. He financially supports his charitable organization in McKees Rocks, presents for — toys for kids.

And just he's one of those guys. This is a diverse community over here at Central Catholic. And he embraced that. He reached across all lines to help a lesser student, to help a lesser athlete.

William Brangham:

I mean, as far as we know, what happened to him was a pretty freak accident. But, as you and everyone else well knows, there are a lot of other injuries that NFL players can suffer. Some of them are life-threatening.

Do you think that this event in any way makes young people think twice about football and a professional career, or does their love of the game and the desire to reach the NFL just trump all of that?

Terry Totten:

These guys know the risks they take every time they take the field.

Now, this is very, very unusual. And I hope it doesn't have a bad effect on the game of football itself. But that will be — remain to be seen by a personal choice of each individual. But that risk is there. And it showed up on Monday night.

William Brangham:

You have been through now for decades of football.

Have you seen the game evolve? I mean, these guys do seem to be bigger and faster and hitting with more impact. Have you seen that evolution of the game yourself?

Terry Totten:

Absolutely. You hit the nail on the head.

They are year-round training. They are bigger. They're stronger. They're faster. They are hitting each other much, much harder than even 10 years ago, let alone 20 years ago. It is a physical, it is a tough game. It is an impact game. And I guess there are parts of the human body that aren't made for it. But it's a great game.

And it's — hopefully, it carries on. And they — they are trying to find safer methods. And I'm sure this will — they will explore this one as well. But you are absolutely correct about the size and force of these people.

William Brangham:

We understand he's — his condition is improving. And we hope that that continues on that trajectory.

I mean, as his former coach, if you could say something to him now, what would you tell him?

Terry Totten:

Oh, keep fighting, brother. You have got so much left to give.

And he does. And he will.

Just keep fighting, brother. You're getting the best care you can get. Let it — let it take its course. And, hopefully, there's a full recovery. Just keep fighting.

William Brangham:

All right, former coach Terry Totten, so good to talk to you. Thank you very much.

Terry Totten:

Thank you so much.

Geoff Bennett:

Keep fighting. There is no better message than that.

I will tell you, everybody who knows Damar Hamlin speaks so highly of him, even his coach from a decade ago.

Amna Nawaz:

Sounds like a remarkable, remarkable man.

Geoff Bennett:

Yes.

Amna Nawaz:

We're holding him and his family in our thoughts. And, of course, we want to see a full recovery.