Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin returned to practice Tuesday as he donned his familiar blue number 3 jersey for the team’s voluntary junior camp.
His comeback was unusual, coming just five months after he was revived on the field on January 2 after a collision with Tee Higgins of the Cincinnati Bengals in scenes that rocked the NFL.
Doctors recently allowed the 25-year-old to return to football from cardiac arrest. At a recent news conference, Hamlin said Commutio Cordis was the cause.
Despite being late for team sessions, Hamlin participated in individual exercises and stretching parts to open and finish training in taking the next steps toward resuming his playing career.
“We take it one day at a time and support Damar in every way we can,” said trainer Sean McDermott.
Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin returned to training Tuesday, five months after his breakdown
The 25-year-old participated in individual exercises and pull-ups
Otherwise, he gave no timetable as to when a player could fully resume training.
Defensive linebackers coach John Butler further shed light on the team’s approach to Hamlin’s training routine by saying that it relies on constant communication between the player and the Bills’ medical staff.
“This is Operation Damar,” Butler said. “All we can do is listen and connect with him and try to get on the same level as him.”
The Bills’ slow-paced approach to Hamlin’s participation seems in keeping with the way they have eased other players returning from major injuries. That’s understandable for Hamlin, given the amount of time he lost during a long recovery process that limited him to significant physical exertion before reporting to Tea’s voluntary exercise program last month.
Hamlin tackled Bengals receiver Higgins during a Week 17 game before getting back to his feet, faltering, and collapsing on the pitch at Paycor, where he needed resuscitation.
He was given oxygen, placed on a stretcher and rushed to a local hospital in critical condition. In his own words, he “died on national television.”
There was widespread speculation that Hamlin had suffered from carditis, but that diagnosis wasn’t confirmed until a news conference last month, where the Pittsburgh native said he hoped to raise awareness about the condition.
Hamlin still required a ventilator to help him breathe for several weeks after he was released from hospital in mid-January.
He was banned from team sessions as the Bills eased him back into it
Buffalo Bills coach Sean McDermott said they were taking Hamlin’s running back every day
He has made it clear that he wants to resume playing. Saying his heart is still in the game, Hamlin announced his NFL return just over a month ago after being cleared to play by the Bills and several independent professionals.
Hamlin said he did not want to succumb to fear and anxiety, and said there was little chance of a recurrence of the episode in revealing his heart had stopped as a result of cardiac arrest, which is a direct blow at a specific point in the heartbeat that causes cardiac arrest, specialists agreed.
“This was a life-changing event, but it’s not the end of my story,” Hamlin said last month.
With his focus now on resuming football, Hamlin’s next steps will be no different than any other NFL player in his attempt to secure a roster spot entering his third season. The Bills have two more weeks of volunteer practices before opening a mandatory mini camp in mid-June, followed by opening boot camp in late July.
Players stand together after the collapse of Hamlin (3) at the Buffalo Bills in Cincinnati
“It’s a miracle,” Butler said, assessing how far Hamlin has come since January.
He added, “To have him out there, in rehearsals, on tours, in meetings and every single day, I think is incredible.” “But depending on where he’s going, I think he’s definitely headed in the right direction.”
Doctors who treated him described Hamelin’s recovery as remarkable. He spent the first few days of his recovery in a medically induced coma at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center. His motor and cognitive skills quickly returned and he spent 10 days in hospitals in Cincinnati and Buffalo before being released.
Hamlin’s collapse led to an outpouring of support from across the NFL and across North America, with donations to Hamlin’s charitable organization exceeding $9 million. His recovery was celebrated, with the player being honored by the NFL and NFL Players Association, and he was recently chosen by Professional Football Writers of America as the winner of the George Halas Award, which is given to an NFL player, coach or staff member. . The member who overcomes adversity to succeed.
