It’s been a very unusual last few months for Buffalo Bills defensive back Damar Hamlin.
Damar Hamlin via Buffalo Bills YouTube
At one moment, he was making a play on Monday Night Football, in the middle of a close game against the Cincinnati Bengals. Then, almost instantly, he suffered cardiac arrest, and everything suddenly topped.
The moment captured the country’s attention, as concerns for the player were accompanied by a live look-in. Hamlin was then carted from the field, the game was canceled, and everyone waited with bated breath to see how it would all turn out.
Damar Hamlin collapses via Cincinnati Crew YouTube
Those questions have been answered recently, with Damar Hamlin making a hero’s return at the Super Bowl, where he was given a special honor by Commissioner Roger Goodell and The League, along with the on-field medical personnel and hospital staff who helped to save him. Last week, he took the next step in his public recovery by strolling onstage during NBC’s The Masked Singer.
The Buffalo star appeared on the show with his little brother, Damir, and the Sesame Street character, Elmo, in a heartwarming moment for the recovering player, who will turn 25 this week. It’s been part of the outpouring of support that Damar Hamlin has received since the medical incident that nearly cost him his life.
Damar Hamlin suffered cardiac arrest following a play in Cincinnati on January 2, and would lie on the field receiving medical attention for several minutes before being transferred to a hospital. He arrived at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center in critical condition but was finally stabilized enough to be moved a week later. He spent the rest of his recovery time at Buffalo
At the time of the occurrence, the NFL announced that the game would not be resumed that week. They would later cancel it altogether as the outcome became inconsequential to the postseason seedings.
Damar Hamlin via Buffalo Bills YouTube
As for whether or not Hamlin could return to the Buffalo Bills and play football again? Now that he’s done making the rounds on the celebrity circuit, that appears to be his goal. He hasn’t been totally cleared to play yet, but according to Bills’ management, it’s getting close.
His General Manager, Brandon Beane, says he has been in contact with his young star, and neither of them is ruling out the possibility of Damar Hamlin lining up for the team again soon.
“Had a great visit with him a couple of days ago and he’s in great spirits,” Beane told Buffalo’s WIVB. “He’s off the ‘world tour’ that he and I laughed about with all the sporting events [Hamlin was invited to] and everything else. He’s dialed in. He definitely has every intention to play.”