Damar Hamlin Cleared To Play Football 3 Months After Near-Death Incident

Just three months after facing a near-death incident on the NFL football field, Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin is "fully cleared" to play football.

The 24-year-old collapsed in the middle of the field during the first quarter of the Monday Night Football game against the Cincinnati Bengals on January 2, 2023. He was down on the field for several minutes as medical personnel rushed onto the area, and players surrounded him in support.

Medical personnel gave him CPR for 9 minutes as his heart stopped. After reviving him, Hamlin was loaded into an ambulance and taken to the University of Cincinnati Medical Center. He remained for seven days before being transferred to a new hospital in Buffalo to continue his recovery process.

Not long after being released from the Buffalo hospital, Hamlin was back at the Bills' practice facility "almost daily" to support his team.

According to NFL on ESPN, just three months after the miraculous recovery, Damar Hamlin has been "fully cleared" to resume playing football.

Fans are happy to hear Hamlin has been cleared but are hesitant for the young man to return to football. "Good to hear he's all clear. Maybe it's best to leave the game, though. I don't know. If he's all clear, it would be great for him to return," one fan expressed.

While another commented, "Every time you step on the field, it could be your last play. If he's healthy and confident and his family cool. Do it."

One fan expressed something similar, writing, "What a tough call to make for a young man in his prime. Please stay in the sport to play, or continue to do what he does best. Athletes rarely give up such high achievement, so I'm hoping the medical team is fully behind a possible return."

And another wrote, "So I'm not sure the odds of it happening to him again, but why risk it? If it does happen to him again, do they cancel another game if he's choosing to go back out and put himself at risk again now, knowing what has happened? I understand having a passion for the game, but it may be time once your health is severely compromised. Look at Andrew Luck and how much passion he had for it all but left when he realized his health was way more important."

This is something this NFL fan expressed as well. "I know people are going to say do what makes you happy. But I think the smartest thing for Damar is to retire and take on a coaching position within the organization if it presents itself. He should have a training program with the NFL that teaches players how to perform CPR and to help future events if it ever happened again," they commented.

After NFL fans watched Damar Hamlin fight for his life on January 2, 2023, they came together. Donations began pouring into a GoFundMe fundraiser created by the Bills Safety in 2020 — The Chasing M's Foundation Community Toy Drive.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady was one of many to donate to the fundraiser. Brady donated $10,000, while New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft donated $18,003 on behalf of the Patriots' organization. Kraft chose that specific number because 18 stands for "chai" in the Jewish faith, and 003 is the number Hamlin wears on his jersey.

NFL players, including Andy Dalton, Sauce Gardner, Davante Adams, Shannon Sharpe, Andrew Whitworth, Lawrence Guy, Drake London, Mike Evans, George Kittle, Christian McCaffrey, Marcus Jones, Myles Bryant, Brian Hoyer, Lloyd Cushenberry, Trey Lance, Ryan Leaf, and Devin and Jason McCourty have all also donated at least $1,000 to the fundraiser.

Before his hospital release, Hamlin took to Instagram to thank his fans for their endless love, support, and, most importantly, their prayers.

"When you put real love into the world, it returns to you 3x as much. 🫶🏾🫶🏾🫶🏾," Hamlin wrote. "The Love has been overwhelming, but I'm thankful for everyone who prayed for me and reached out. We brought the world back together behind this. If you know me, you know this only gone make me stronger. On a long road, keep praying for me! 🫶🏾❤️3️⃣ #3strong."