Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin returned to the field on Saturday, Aug. 12, following his frightening cardiac arrest collapse in January 2023.
The Bills played against the Indianapolis Colts at the Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park, NY, defeating the Indy-based team 23 to 19.
And right on the field helping his team achieve victory in his No. 3 jersey was 23-year-old Hamlin.
Subsequently, Hamlin sat opposite reporters in a seemingly good mood during a press conference to share his feelings regarding his return to the field.
“It was fun. It was super fun. It was a great experience,” Hamlin said. “Just another milestone in the step of just…getting back to myself as far as in the football space and…in the NFL.”
Hamlin made headlines at the beginning of the year after he went into cardiac arrest during a Bills vs. Cincinnati Bengals game, News Onyx reported. Medical personnel performed CPR on the safety for nine minutes to revive him. Once restored, they transported him to a hospital where he underwent treatment.
Three months after, Hamlin announced his comeback to the NFL.
Notwithstanding his traumatic experience, Hamlin explained he had no trepidation on the field, knowing it would only put him at risk.
“I made the choice that I wanted to play. It wasn’t nobody else’s choice by mine,” he said. “Making that choice, I know what comes with it. When you see my cleats laced up, when my helmet and shoulder pads on, there ain’t going to be no hesitation.”
He added, “You can’t play this game like that. You’ll put yourself at more risk by hesitating.”
Hamlin told reporters that he woke up excited and ready to play without feeling like he had to prove anything to anyone except himself.
Asked if doctors advised him to do anything after the game or required him to be checked, Hamlin said they encouraged him to “live life” and have fun and told him returning to football would benefit him.
“How many people can say that they really get to overcome something of a hurdle this big in their life and still be here to tell the story of it?”
Damar Hamlin after his return to game action for the first time since suffering cardiac arrest in January. pic.twitter.com/R41UvmWOMK
— Heather Prusak (@haprusak) August 12, 2023
