Several months ago, Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin had a brush with death when he went into cardiac arrest during a marquee matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals.
Many figured his football career may be over and that it may take him a very long time to simply return to full health.
But he made a remarkably fast recovery, and with NFL training camps underway, he is back on the field with his team.
Hamlin said that getting back on the practice field in pads was an emotional moment for him.
For the first time since going into cardiac arrest on the field in Cincinnati Jan. 2nd, Damar Hamlin was in pads. 🙌
After practice he said, it was “a super big hurdle” and a “rollercoaster of emotions.”#BillsMafia pic.twitter.com/uAotkfP1WJ
— Jackson Roberts (@JrobertsTV_) July 31, 2023
The 25-year-old’s recovery has been a feel-good story for the entire nation, and everyone has been pulling for him.
The Bills had a 12-3 record when they headed to Ohio for what was supposed to be a doozy of a matchup against Joe Burrow and the Bengals in early January.
After being involved in a collision, Hamlin collapsed on the field and had to be taken to a local hospital after his cardiac episode.
He has recovered faster than virtually anyone expected, and now he is on track to help the Bills make another attempt at winning their first-ever Super Bowl.
Their 2022 season came to a sudden end in the divisional round when they got routed by the Cincinnati Bengals, 27-10.
Hamlin’s return to the field should give them a big emotional boost that could end up helping them play to their full potential this season.
It’s something they will need, as the rest of the AFC has gotten ever deeper and more competitive.
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Former Player Names The Biggest Key For Bills’ Super Bowl Aspirations