Damar Hamlin Officially Makes NFL Return Following Cardiac Arrest

On January 2, 2023, 25-year-old NFL player Damar Hamlin collapsed in the middle of the field during the first quarter of the Monday Night Football game against the Cincinnati Bengals.

Hamlin was down on the field for several minutes as medical personnel rushed onto the area and 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.

Hamlin was then treated at the hospital, and triumphantly made a full recovery, even being cleared by medical personnel a few months ago to return to football.

Despite being clear, the Buffalo Bills safety did not take the field during the first three weeks of the regular NFL season. Today, that all changes.

The NFL player himself announced he would return to the sport after he was cleared by medical personnel earlier this year, saying, “This event was life-changing, but it’s not the end of my story. I’m here to announce that I plan on returning to the NFL.”

The Buffalo Bills safety officially played his first game during pre-season, since the scary incident earlier this year, gaining the respect of fans and fellow players everywhere. The Bills safety recorded three solo tackles in the preseason game and helped the Bills earn a 23-19 victory against the Indianapolis Colts.

“When you step in between the lines, you’re putting yourself at risk by hesitating and by reserving yourself,” Hamlin told reporters after the game, per CBS Sports. “I made the choice that I wanted to play. It wasn’t nobody else’s choice but mine. So making that choice, I know what comes with it.”

Despite playing in pre-season, Hamlin has been absent from the regular season as he was ruled inactive for the first three weeks. Today, that all changes as the Buffalo Bills Safety is starting for the team, making his regular-season debut.

"#Bills S Damar Hamlin getting ready to make his first start since suffering Cardiac Arrest in January," JPAFootball reported alongside a video of the Bills Safety on the field for warmups.

https://twitter.com/jasrifootball/status/1708504515601731915

Hamlin is seen running around the field, getting warmed up ahead of the Bills vs Dolphins game at 1 p.m. EST.

Damar Hamlin received the Pat Tillman Award for Service at the 2023 ESPYS ceremony earlier this year. Before accepting the award, Hamlin told his story of what went down on January 2.

“I didn’t wake up that morning in January thinking that I would need someone to save my life that day, and I doubt that the staff thought that they had to do what they did either," he began before adding, "What I’ve taken away from what happened to me six and a half months ago is that any of us at any given time are capable of doing something that’s incredible, in saving a life and living a life in service to others.”

“Anyone could be a hero. These are mine,” he concluded in the clip before the camera then panned to him breaking down in tears on stage. The crowd immediately rose to their feet, giving Hamlin and the medical team a standing ovation.