One of the NFL’s feel-good stories in recent years was witnessing Damar Hamlin’s miraculous return from his frightening cardiovascular issue against the Cincinnati Bengals on January 2, 2023. Hamlin became a household name after this incident. Will he play in the Buffalo Bills’ Week 1 contest against the Arizona Cardinals?
Hamlin’s Status for Week 1 Against the Cardinals
Not only is Hamlin active and playing in the Bills’ season-opener against Arizona, he has actually become Buffalo’s starting safety.
Considering he nearly lost his life a year-and-a-half ago and there were doubts about whether he’d ever play football again in the immediate aftermath of the incident, it’s remarkable that Hamlin has worked his way into Buffalo’s starting lineup.
Bills head coach Sean McDermott recently raved about Hamlin’s progress.
“The opportunity was there, and he took advantage of it and was consistent,” McDermott said about Hamlin. “Built a certain level of rapport with (Taylor) Rapp and that’s important as well at the safety positions.”
“I mean, what else can’t this young man do?” McDermott added. “You know it’s one thing to come back off of an ACL or a broken bone; it’s another thing to come back off of what he came back off, let alone just to decide to play football in full pads at the NFL level. I don’t think I need to say anything more.”
Has Hamlin Felt Effects of Commotio Cordis?
That night, Hamlin absorbed a shoulder-to-chest hit from Tee Higgins. After Hamlin got up from the hit, he stumbled to the ground and lay motionless. The incident was so severe that the game was eventually called off.
Doctors determined that Hamlin suffered commotio cordis, which affects the breathing of the lungs after absorbing physical contact. He was hospitalized, but he managed to be discharged in less than two weeks.
Hamlin’s moment helped bring the nation together and sparked a new debate on the importance of CPR and having an AED device nearby. Hamlin has since become an activist for having the latter on hand at all times.
More importantly for Hamlin, he has not suffered any lingering effects of commotio cordis. The safety managed to keep himself healthy throughout the entire 2023 NFL season, and now he’ll be a significant contributor for the Bills during the 2024 campaign.