‘Horrible Harry’ Was Pretty Wonderful on Tuesday

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The Minnesota Vikings signed Harrison Phillips away from the Buffalo Bills in March, and just like that, Minnesota employed a nose tackle nicknamed “Horrible Harry.”

Well, the horrible adjective should be applied loosely because Phillips was pretty wonderful this week. The NFL world stopped Monday night in Cincinnati when Bills defender Damar Hamlin suffered a cardiac arrest on the field against the Bengals and has been hospitalized since.

‘Horrible Harry’ Was Pretty Wonderful on Tuesday

Hamlin’s recovery status is ongoing, but the 24-year-old appears to be improving at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center.

Meanwhile, Phillips, a teammate of Hamlin’s in 2021, stepped up on Tuesday to do his part. ESPN’s Kevin Seifert tweeted Wednesday, “Vikings DL Harrison Phillips, who played 4 years for the Bills, bought dinner for Damar Hamlin’s family, the team training staff who are with him in Cincinnati + the ICU doctors/nurses.”

Pretty Wonderful on Tuesday
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In Buffalo, Phillips was a two-time Walter Payton Man of the Year nominee, so his good-guy actions regarding Hamlin are on brand. Phillips is genuinely a good human and re-proved it with Hamlin’s family, Buffalo’s training staff, etc., on Tuesday.

Phillips, 26, also established a section of his website for others to donate to Hamlin’s cause. You can explore and contribute here. Phillips’ site informed fans, “If you want to give, we are collecting donations to contribute to today’s pay-it-forward as well as a future Playmaker pay-it-forward event solely in Damar’s honor. Thank you!”

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Phillips’ foundation, Harrison’s Playmakers, also describes his efforts in the community since joining the Vikings 10 months ago, “Since arriving in Minnesota for spring workouts in April, Harrison has visited the M Health Fairview University of Minnesota Masonic Children’s Hospital and Children’s Minnesota, spending time with young people battling cancer and other difficult conditions. He also learned about All Square, a social justice-focused program close to Eric Kendricks’ heart, and hung out with youth at the Little Earth Boys & Girls Club.”

The Bills drafted Phillips in Round 3 of the 2018 NFL Draft. He played 45 games in Buffalo while starting 11 and earned a reputation as a fan-favorite from the famous Bills Mafia because, well, he does stuff like show up out of nowhere and pay for people’s dinners during a crisis.

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Phillips has played in 16 of 17 Vikings games in 2022 and, like in Buffalo, is a fan favorite. He told the media upon joining the Vikings last year, “The messaging that I’ve been hearing here is so on pace with how I believe you win and build a successful team and franchise.”

The Stanford alumnus is under contract with the Vikings through the end of the 2024 season.

Hamlin’s recovery remains fluid, and his family members are providing daily updates through social media channels. Hamlin’s uncle mentioned Tuesday and Wednesday that his nephew is “healing right now” and “trending upward.”


Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. He hosts a podcast with Bryant McKinnie, which airs every Wednesday with Raun Sawh and Sal Spice. His Viking fandom dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ and The Doors (the band).

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