Jan 17, 2023Bills ATC Denny Kellington Receives NFL MVP Vote
One vote for the annual NFL MVP award went to the Buffalo Bills’ athletic trainer whose quick actions played an instrumental role in the recovery of safety Damar Hamlin’s on-field cardiac arrest.
ESPN host Suzy Kolber cast her fifth-place MVP vote for Bills’ assistant ATC Denny Kellington for his in-game heroics during a Week 17 matchup with Cincinnati Bengals on Monday Night Football.
A recent story from KXAN.com detailed how Kolber was able to vote for the Bills’ athletic trainer for the NFL MVP award.
Below is an excerpt from the KXAN.com story.
Under the AP’s new system, votes for MVP are weighted depending on where the voters placed candidates on the ballot. Because Kolber put Kellington at fifth on hers, the vote for the Bills athletic trainer had no impact on the top five finishers, per Rob Maaddi of the Associated Press.
The vote came from @SuzyKolber, who said it was a “symbolic gesture representing ‘everyone’ who carries the weight of that job, every week. They rarely get the recognition they deserve.”
— Rob Maaddi (@RobMaaddi) January 15, 2023
The full MVP voting breakdown will be revealed at the NFL honors ceremony on Feb. 9.
Hamlin was discharged from the hospital Wednesday, just nine days after he collapsed during the game against Cincinnati. Kellington administered CPR to Hamlin on the field, and the Bills safety was transported to the University of Cincinnati Medical Center.
Since his medical emergency, Hamlin has steadily improved and has returned to Buffalo. He was able to visit his teammates in person on Saturday and sent a touching message of support to the Bills before their playoff game against the Dolphins.
To read the full story from KXAN.com, click here.
