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    Is Damar Hamlin Playing? How Bills Safety Became 2024 Starter After Cardiac Arrest

    InsideTheNFLNewsBy Updated:No Comments6 Mins Read

    Hopefully there will never be another story like Damar Hamlin’s in the NFL. But it’s an exceptional story that deserves to be recognized, even 20 months after that scary night in 2023.

    Hamlin completed one of the most remarkable comebacks the NFL world has ever seen during the 2023 NFL season when he returned to the Bills despite going into cardiac arrest on the field against the Bengals in January. Despite his collapse and subsequent hospital stay, he was able to make a recovery in what doctors called “remarkable” fashion.

    He returned to the field last year, and played sparingly for Buffalo through the 2023 season. However, not only is he now having more of an impact, but he enters the 2024 season as one of the Bills’ starting safeties — something that seemed impossible less than two years ago.

    Here’s what you need to know about Hamlin’s sensational comeback and recovery from cardiac arrest.

    Damar Hamlin’s Return Timeline

    On January 2, 2023, Damar Hamlin suffered a cardiac arrest after tackling Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins during the Week 17 “Monday Night Football” game between Buffalo and Cincinnati.

    Hamlin initially got up before collapsing to the ground. Bills medical staff quickly took care of field safety, and a stretcher and ambulance arrived to treat him. He received CPR from members of the training staff.

    Hamlin was taken to the University of Cincinnati Medical Center, while the game was suspended and then postponed. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said Hamlin was in “critical condition” when the postponement was announced.

    With the game over, members of the Bills organization visited Hamlin in the hospital that evening.

    Late in the evening, the Bills officially announced that Hamlin had suffered a cardiac arrest on the field, but his heart had recovered. He was in the hospital’s intensive care unit and his condition was critical.

    The Hamlin family released a statement the next day via Hamlin’s marketing representative and family friend Jordan Rooneythanking first responders and everyone across the country who has offered their love and support. They did not immediately provide an update on Hamlin’s condition.

    On behalf of our family, we would like to express our sincere gratitude for the love and support shown to Damar during this difficult time. We are deeply moved by the prayers, kind words, and donations from fans across the country.

    We also want to thank the first responders and dedicated healthcare professionals at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center who provided exceptional care to Damar. We feel so blessed to be a part of the Buffalo Bills organization and have their support. We also want to thank Coach Taylor and the Bengals for all they have done.

    Your generosity and compassion mean a lot to us.

    Please keep Damar in your prayers. We will post updates as soon as we have them.

    Hamlin’s condition improved in the days following the incident. He opened his eyes Thursday night, three days after the incident. Dr. Timothy Pritts of the University of California School of Medicine said medical staff had reached a “turning point” and that Hamlin had shown “substantial improvement.”

    MORE: Watch Nyheim Hines’ ‘Fairytale’ Kick Return a TD for the Bills

    On Friday, Jan. 6, the Bills announced that Hamlin’s breathing tube had been removed overnight. He was speaking to his family and “making remarkable progress in his recovery.”

    Additionally, the Bills reported that Hamlin was able to connect via FaceTime to one of the Bills’ meetings before their game against the Patriots.

    Hamlin posted an Instagram message on January 7 thanking everyone for the support and love he received while he was in the hospital, and he posted on X, formerly Twitter, the following day.

    After a week at UC Medical Center, Hamlin was released and transferred to Buffalo General Medical Center. Two days later, he was released from the hospital after a “complete medical evaluation.”

    Hamlin finally rejoined the team in the locker room before the game against the Bengals resumed on January 22. He received a resounding ovation from the fans at Highmark Stadium.

    After a summer of recovery, Hamlin returned to the practice field during training camp and the 2023 preseason. On August 12, 2023, Hamlin played in his first NFL game since his cardiac arrest, starting in the Bills’ preseason opener against the Raiders.

    He made the team’s 53-man roster, getting his first snaps in a regular-season game in Week 4 against the Dolphins. However, he was inactive for most of the 2023 NFL season, due to a loaded safeties room in Buffalo consisting of Micah Hyde, Jordan Poyer, Taylor Rapp and Cam Lewis. As a result, Hamlin only played in five games.

    Will Damar Hamlin play in 2024?

    With Hamlin back to full health, he now has the opportunity to earn starts for Buffalo in the 2024 season, thanks to the departures of Poyer and Hyde. Hamlin began the 2024 season as a starter for the Bills with Rapp in Buffalo’s defensive secondary. His Week 1 start against the Cardinals marked his first start since his cardiac arrest.

    In a recent Interview with NFL.comHamlin explained he wants to be known for more than what happened on Jan. 2, 2023, adding his expanded role is just the beginning of what he hopes to accomplish with Buffalo.

    “My story is my story. It’s still being written,” Hamlin said. “But I also want to be recognized for my abilities. I’ve always had big goals on and off the field. I still have so much to accomplish.”

    Hamlin’s role and performance against Arizona are a sign that he is on the right track.

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