From cardiac arrest to Bills starter

The Buffalo Bills and the Cincinnati Bengals met in Week 17 of the 2022 NFL season in one of the most eagerly awaited duels of the regular season.

Both teams were considered the teams with the best chances to beat the Kansas City Chiefs, the AFC's clear favorites, in the postseason. The winner of the contest would likely claim a home game in the playoffs and have the best chance of an appearance in the AFC championship game.

But the Monday Night Football game between the two rivals never officially took place. It was suspended and later postponed when Damar Hamlin suddenly fell to the ground in the first quarter of the game.

Hamlin's heart stopped on the field after making a tackle. He received urgent medical attention from Buffalo personnel and was given CPR before being taken away in an ambulance. The players were naturally distraught, fearing for Hamlin's life.

Just 11 days later, Hamlin was released from the hospital after a miraculous recovery. Less than two years after his near-death experience, he has made an improbable NFL comeback and is now a regular for the Bills.

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Here's everything you need to know about Hamlin's remarkable return to the NFL as a central piece in a top contender's defense.

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Damar Hamlin timeline: From cardiac arrest to Bills starter

January 2, 2023: Damar Hamlin suffers cardiac arrest on the field after tackling receiver Tee Higgins in the first quarter of the Bills-Bengals game. Hamlin briefly got up but then fell to the ground, prompting Buffalo medical personnel to rush to his aid.

Bills medical personnel performed CPR on Hamlin, who was placed on a stretcher and loaded into an ambulance. He was taken to the University of Cincinnati Medical Center while the game was suspended and later postponed.

There was no update on Hamlin's condition the night of the incident. The Bills reported the next morning that Hamlin had suffered cardiac arrest and his heartbeat was restored on the field. The team also announced that he was in critical condition.

January 6, 2023: After several days in the hospital on a ventilator, the Bills announced that Hamlin was able to talk to his family and breathe on his own. Dr. Timothy Pritts says Hamlin's “neurological status and functional ability are intact” and Hamlin is able to speak briefly with his teammates and coaches via FaceTime.

“I love you guys,” he tells them, according to the Bills.

January 7, 2023: Hamlin makes his first social media post since being in the hospital, thanking the Bills and NFL fans alike for their support during his ordeal and admitting he faces a long recovery.

Hamlin continues to post updates, pictures and thoughts about his teammates on social media during the final game of the regular season and playoffs.

January 11, 2023: Two days after being transferred from the University of Cincinnati Medical Center to Buffalo General Medical Center, Hamlin is fully discharged from the hospital.

January 14, 2023: Hamlin visits the Bills the day before their playoff game against the Dolphins. He does not attend the actual game because he is still recovering from cardiac arrest, but he visits the facility frequently during the rest of the team's playoff run.

“Damar Hamlin is in the building now and playing almost every day,” coach Sean McDermott said the day after Buffalo's 34-31 win over Miami. “He's not in meetings, but [is] Take one small step at a time.”

January 22, 2023: Hamlin attends the Bills' season-ending loss to the Bengals at Highmark Stadium. Hamlin is shown on the big screen and the Buffalo fans cheer him wildly.

13 February 2023: Hamlin speaks about his recovery for the first time in an interview with ABC. He admitted that despite making physical progress in his recovery, he is “still working on some things” mentally.

“I'm still trying to process all the emotions and the trauma that comes with dealing with a situation like this and not really having people around me or, you know, anyone in my immediate circle who has dealt with something like this,” Hamlin told Good Morning America.

18 April 2023: Three and a half months after his cardiac arrest on the field, Hamlin announces that he wants to play football in the 2023 NFL season.

“I've beaten the statistics my whole life, so my chances here are good,” Hamlin said of his return to football, according to NFL.com.

Hamlin also reveals that his cardiac arrest was due to commotio cordis, a condition in which the heart stops after a sudden, blunt blow to the chest. He also explains that he is using his foundation to raise awareness about CPR training and the use of AEDs, and that he wants to use his comeback to motivate others who have gone through similar difficulties to his own.

“My heart is still in it. My heart is still in this game,” he said. “I love this game. That's something I want to prove to myself — to no one else. I just want to show people that fear is a choice. You can keep doing something without having the answers and without knowing what's at the end of the tunnel. Or you can feel scared, you feel some way, but you put your right foot in front of your left and keep going. That's what I want to stand for.”

July 31, 2023: Hamlin participates in workouts wearing protective gear for the first time at Bills training camp. He had participated in activities during the Bills' OTAs, but did not wear protective gear at this event.

Hamlin describes his return to the field as “a rollercoaster of emotions.”

“In football, you can't go out on the field without hesitation,” Hamlin said, according to ProFootballTalk. “You put yourself in more danger by doing that. I chose to play, but I'm processing a thousand emotions. I'm not afraid to say that a little fear crosses my mind here and there. But like I said, my strength is rooted in my faith, and my faith is stronger than any fear.”

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12 August 2023: Hamlin returns to the field for the Bills in their preseason game against the Colts. He recorded three tackles in a 23-19 win and said it “felt good” to be back on the field.

“It definitely felt like a little weight was lifted off my shoulders,” Hamlin told reporters after the game, according to the Associated Press. “Amazing. It just makes me feel like I'm back in my element.”

29 August 2023: Hamlin makes the Bills' 53-man roster after surviving the team's final cuts. He is the fifth safety on the team's roster, so it's unclear how much playing time he will get during the 2023 NFL season.

October 1, 2023: After being inactive for the Bills' first three games, Hamlin returns to the NFL in Week 4 with a 48-20 win over the Dolphins. He played 18 times on special teams and did not record any statistics.

After the game, Hamlin expressed that he was excited to return to the field.

“I think it was more about making a promise to myself than anything else. I just wanted to show myself that I have the courage, the strength, the pride and all those words inside me to go through something traumatic and come back from it,” Hamlin told the Associated Press. “To be able to continue doing what I love at the highest level in the world is incredible.”

January 21, 2024: Hamlin finishes the 2023 NFL season with seven games played, including two postseason games. He recorded four total tackles (two in the regular season and two in the postseason) and scored on a 2-yard run in Buffalo's 27-24 playoff loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.

Hamlin is considered the favorite for the NFL's Comeback Player of the Year award, but the award goes to Joe Flacco for his performance as quarterback for the Browns.

5 August 2024: Asked about his attitude towards the Bills' training camp in 2024 as he battles for both a roster spot and a possible starting spot, Hamlin credits his return to the field in 2023 with making him feel more comfortable before the season.

“My mind is free. My spirit is free. My soul is free,” Hamlin told the Associated Press. “I can think clearly. I'm not hindered by doubts about what might happen again.”

4 September 2024: A week after being named to Buffalo's roster for the 2024 season, Sean McDermott named Hamlin one of the team's starting safeties alongside veteran Taylor Rapp.

“What else can’t this young man do?” McDermott said of Hamlin’s efforts during training camp and the preseason, according to the Bills’ official website.

“I think it's consistency and opportunity,” McDermott added. “He took advantage of the opportunity that presented itself and was consistent. (He) built a certain level of trust with T-Rapp, and that's important at the safety position as well.”

Hamlin's start in Week 1 would be his first since the 2022 NFL season. He has started 13 times this season, helping to replace the injured Micah Hyde.

“I was super excited,” Hamlin said when he learned he had won a starting spot, according to CBS News. “I'm not going to lie, man, it's like a dream come true to work that hard and then get what you worked for,” he added. “But I want to keep going. You know, it's not just about being good in one game.”

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From cardiac arrest to Bills starter

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