For the first time since Hamlin collapsed on the field during a Monday Night Football game against the Cincinnati Bengals last season, Damar Hamlin and the Buffalo Bills will visit Cincinnati this week.
The Bills safety was asked by reporters about his mindset before the game, ahead of this Week 9 matchup.
“I don’t know what to expect. You know, this is unique to me as well,”
Hamlin said.
“All I know is I’m walking in with courage, I’m walking in with strength, and I’m walking in with my brothers. You know, and I’m walking in with my mom, my dad, my family. And I’m walking into, you know, an environment of people that supported me the entire time.”
#Bills Safety Damar Hamlin talks about what it’s going to be like back in Cincinnati, after nearly lost his life to cardiac arrest last season.
"I ain't running from it."
"I'm ready to walk through the fire."
(via @BleacherReport)pic.twitter.com/IOekmQ9aNQ
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) November 2, 2023
“They continue to support me, you know, on both ends. So, you know, it’s a lot of love. I can’t wait to receive it and give it and show my gratitude, you know, but ultimately, we’re going up there to get a win,”
he added.
Damar Hamlin was thankful to those who helped him that night.
On January 2, 2023, at Paycor Stadium after he collided with Tee Higgins of the Bengals, Damar Hamlin suffered a cardiac arrest.
The Buffalo Bills training staff performed CPR immediately after Hamlin collapsed and saved his life.
Hamlin was released from the hospital nine days later, and his NFL future was uncertain. However, he was medically cleared to return to the NFL during the offseason.
He participated in the training camp and played in all three preseason games. He recorded three tackles including one on a fourth-down conversion.
He participated in the training camp and played in all three preseason games. He recorded three tackles including one on a fourth-down conversion.
He began the season on the inactive list and did not make his regular-season debut until Week 4 against the Miami Dolphins. He only played on special teams at the time.
Sean McDermott says any decision to play Damar Hamlin in Cincinnati this week will be a football, not an emotional decision.
"We acknowledge, as a team, what unfolded there…We are so thankful, as a team, that Damar is in a good spot."
Hamlin has played only 3 games this year.
— Andrew Siciliano (@AndrewSiciliano) November 1, 2023
Damar Hamlin has only participated in three games this season for the Buffalo Bills. His reduced playing time is a result of the team acquiring safety Taylor Rapp during the offseason.
The question now is whether Hamlin will get a chance to play in the upcoming game at Paycor Stadium. He was on the verge of not making the 53-man roster at the end of the training camp.
Regardless of whether he plays or not, Damar Hamlin expresses confidence in his return to Cincinnati for a game against the Bengals on Sunday night, as long as he remains true to himself.
Cincinnati holds special significance for Hamlin, as it’s where he experienced a near-fatal cardiac arrest incident on January 2. However, what’s more important now, about ten months later, is how this place and experience have come to symbolize the beginning of the next chapter in his life.
Throughout his recovery and determined effort to resume his career, Hamlin has learned that he possesses the strength to overcome almost anything. He sees this as a new and unique mission.
Hamlin is eager, excited, and emotional about his journey, and he believes that there is strength in facing challenges and fears.
While sharing his personal emotions, Hamlin emphasizes his focus on the team’s goal of winning. This attitude is in line with his first words after being awakened from a medically induced coma in a Cincinnati hospital, which were, “Did we win?”
Due to an illness, it’s unlikely that Hamlin will be able to play on Sunday. He has mostly been a healthy inactive player for most of Buffalo’s first eight games since he’s at the bottom of the team’s safety depth chart.
However, Hamlin’s influence on the Bills remains significant. He has shown no signs of hesitation since being cleared for contact in April and making the Bills’ 53-player roster in August.
His teammates are inspired by Hamlin’s mindset and resilience. They are excited for him and the upcoming game in Cincinnati, where the incident occurred last year.
The return to Cincinnati marks a significant moment in Hamlin’s journey, as it’s where he collapsed after a seemingly routine tackle due to commotio cordis, which leads to cardiac arrest.
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