Damar Hamlin Has 'Lengthy' Recovery Ahead Of Him, Will Remain On Oxygen

It has been almost three weeks since his cardiac arrest on the field and Buffalo Bills star Damar Hamlinis still on his way to recovery. The young athlete suffered a cardiac arrest at the start of the year during a game with the Cincinnati Bengals.

Hamlin was immediately rushed to a hospital, after which the game was suspended, postponed, and then canceled. NFL fans have received updates concerning Hamlin's health since he was admitted and were informed last week that he had finally been discharged.

According to recent news, the player's discharge does not mean he is fully recovered. Hamlin still requires oxygen from time to time and has visited the hospital severally for checkups.

Keep on reading to learn more.

Although he was discharged over a week ago, Hamlin still has some distance to go before being considered fully recovered. Rooney, the NFL star's longtime friend and businessman partner, joined ESPN on Thursday to say that Hamlin "still required oxygen" and regularly visits the hospital to have his heart monitored.

Regardless, the football player could see his teammates after the hospital release, but he easily becomes out of breath. Rooney said, "He has visited with the team a few times, but he still gets winded very easily."

He also stated that Hamlin still had his "upbeat and positive" attitude while he continued his climb towards full recovery and was determined to "continue to overcome this."

Sean McDermott, the Buffalo Bills coach, as well as Don Dawkins' Hamlin's teammate, seem to agree with Rooney's comment about the player's upbeat attitude. In a press conference, McDermott shared that Hamlin has been to the facility almost every day.

Via CNN, Dawkins said, "His appearance, like walking around here, it's a positive thing, and [it's nice] to see Three [Hamlin's jersey number] just smile and just wave and just put his hearts up and keep it pushing." He described Hamlin as a "positive energy bubble that's just floating around the facility."

Several Hamlin-themed merchandise has been unveiled since the star's health scare, starting from a t-shirt in support of UC Medical Center and, most recently, jewelry. The new jewelry was revealed on Thursday and was made in honor of Hamlin. Each Bills player reportedly got a "3" charm to represent their teammate's jersey number.

Last week, Hamlin was declared free to go home and discharged from the Buffalo General Hospital. The Buffalo Bills revealed that their star player would spend the rest of his recovery period at home with his loved ones asides from the obvious regular checkups. Prior to then, Hamlin was hospitalized following his health scare during his team's football game at the start of January.

The NFL team's statement read, "Damar Hamlin has been discharged from Buffalo General Medical Center/Gates Vascular Institute, a Kaleida Health facility in Buffalo, NY."

It continued, "Hamlin was admitted on Monday and went through a comprehensive medical evaluation as well as a series of cardiac, neurological, and vascular testing on Tuesday." A message from Dr. Jamie Nadler was also quoted, revealing that the decision was made after carrying out a number of tests and evaluations on Hamlin.

Nadler said, "We have completed a series of tests and evaluations, and in consultation with the team physicians, we are confident that Damar can be safely discharged."

During the Buffalo Bills versus Cincinnati Bengals game on January 2, Hamlin fell to the ground. The incident occurred when he tackled Tee Higgins; the opposing team's receiver and medical personnel on the field were directed to him.

While Hamlin's teammates crowded around him, the NFL star was given CPR and then rushed to the hospital. After the incident, the NFL commissioner, Roger Goodell, shed light on what caused the fall as well as Hamlin's current condition.

He said, "He was then transported to a local hospital where he is in critical condition. Our thoughts are with Damar and the Buffalo Bills. We will provide more information as it becomes available." The Buffalo Bills also released a statement reassuring fans that the athlete was currently stable and that he had been placed in the UC Medical Center.