Bills Trainer Denny Kellington Gets 5th Place MVP Vote for Giving Damar Hamlin CPR

Buffalo Bills assistant athletic trainer Denny Kellington received a unique honor Thursday night in recognition of administering life-saving CPR to Damar Hamlin when the safety went into cardiac arrest during a Week 17 game between the Bills and Cincinnati Bengals.

According to ESPN's Alaina Getzenberg, longtime ESPN personality Suzy Kolber gave Kellington a fifth-place vote on her NFL MVP ballot.

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes won his second MVP award with 48 out of 50 first-place votes. Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts followed in second, and Bills quarterback Josh Allen was third.

Remarkably, Kellington finished tied for ninth in the voting along with Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown, Chicago Bears quarterback Justin Fields, Tennessee Titans running back Derrick Henry, Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert, Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill, Seattle Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith and Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa.

Kellington and other trainers and medical personnel were on stage at the NFL Honors in Phoenix on Thursday night, and they received a standing ovation.

Hamlin also appeared and gave an emotional speech in which he thanked those who saved his life.

After Hamlin went into cardiac arrest, the Jan. 2 game was postponed and ultimately canceled.

Hamlin spent a week in the intensive care unit at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center before he was transferred to the Buffalo General Medical Center/Gates Vascular Institute. He was released Jan. 11.

The second-year player was in attendance for the Bills' 27-10 home loss to the Bengals in the divisional round of the playoffs Jan. 22.