Indianapolis Colts quarterback Joe Flacco beat out Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin for the NFL Comeback Player of the Year award last year.

Hamlin has recovered from the snub and recovered the football.

As soon as CBS play-by-play announcer Andrew Catalon explained how Flacco thinks the award belonged to Hamlin during the Bills victory over the Colts on Sunday, the safety recovered Flacco's fumble.

"Well Damar Hamlin has played 98 percent of the snaps this year. We talked to Joe Flacco on Friday about winning the Comeback Player of the Year award last year. Look, we all can agree we think it should've been Damar Hamlin," Catalon said. "In fact, they changed the criteria this year so that it'll be given to someone this year who shows resilience coming back from injury or illness. But Joe Flacco even said 'I should not have won the award. It should've gone to Damar Hamlin.'"

Cue Damar Hamlin.

Buffalo defensive end Greg Rousseau knocked the ball away from Flacco. Hamlin, who was in the backfield on a safety blitz, dove on it for the turnover.

“Flacco lost the football, had it knocked away. And the Bills have it! Catalon called. "Damar Hamlin! How about that! Flacco lost it, and Damar Hamlin recovers.”

Hamlin entered the game with 57 tackles and 2 interceptions in 2024. He has started all 10 games for the Bills.

Flacco beat out Hamlin for the 2023 Comeback Player of the Year award, 151-140, although Hamlin had more first place votes, 21 to 13. Hamlin was left off eight of the 50 ballots from media members.

Hamlin said he was initially disappointed but shook off being slighted.

"Any competition you put me in, I want to win," Hamlin said in April. But I clapped for Joe as he went on stage and I clapped for him as he went off.

"I would be crazy to be upset about a one-foot trophy. That signifies so much - I don't want to discredit it at all because I did want to win, but I feel like my journey is way more spiritual than a worldly award."

Hamlin played five games last season, returning to the field months after suffering cardiac arrest against the Cincinnati Bengals on Jan. 2, 2023.

Flacco, 39, went 4-1 as a starter with the Cleveland Browns in 2023 after a season-ending injury to Deshaun Watson. He initially signed with the Browns practice squad in November and was elevated to the active roster in December. Flacco led Cleveland to a wild-card berth in the playoffs. Flacco became the oldest player to win the NFL Comeback Player of the Year award since Jim Martin in 1963.

This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Damar Hamlin fumble recovery impeccable timed on CBS broadcast