The Buffalo Bills acquired Damar Hamlin in 2021, and soon the safety positioned himself as the quarterback of the Bills’ defense due to his God-given athletic prowess. However, the Bills player gained much attention from the NFL community last season after a near-death accident on the field.
Fortunately, the renowned player recovered quickly in a way that his fans hadn’t anticipated. Now that Hamlin is fully fit to return to the field, let’s find out when fans will be able to see him again in a regular season game wearing the Bills’ uniform.
What day is Damar Hamlin’s return to the NFL game?
Following his devastating injury in January of this year, Damar Hamlin was given the all-clear to play football in the spring. He has been fully participating in workouts since early June during OTAs. He also participated in each of the team’s three preseason games and recorded 73 defensive snaps.
The Bills allowed him to join their 53-man roster after being impressed with his preseason performance. Since then, Bills’ supporters have been anticipating his season debut. The long-awaited good news for Bills’ supporters is that the safety is anticipated to play against the Miami Dolphins on Sunday to open the 2023 season.
However, the 24-year-old was given the chance after the Bills suffered a serious setback with their veteran starting safety Jordan Poyer. Poyer was unable to play because of a knee injury he sustained during Sunday’s 37-3 victory over the Washington Commanders.
What happened to Bills’ Damar Hamlin in January?
During their Week 17 match in January, Damar Hamlin clashed with Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins on a play. A major injury from the collision caused the safety to have a cardiac arrest. The incident caused panic throughout the stadium, and the Bills players knelt with their arms around one another before going back to their locker rooms.
The game was later called off. Fortunately, the athletic training staff of the Bills deserves praise for playing a crucial part in preserving the life of the Buffalo Bills’ safety by starting CPR quickly.
Denny Kellington, the assistant athletic trainer for the Buffalo Bills, was the story’s main protagonist as he helped Damar’s important organs receive blood for approximately ten minutes on the field while performing CPR. Hamlin was spared death by his timely actions. After more than a week in the hospital, Damar Hamlin was discharged from Buffalo General Medical Center as he began to recuperate more quickly.
Hamlin’s journey to recovery, which includes a remarkable bounce-back narrative from such a severe injury, is undoubtedly a great inspiration for the entire sporting world. Additionally, his success in recovering helped him win the NFL’s adversity award in May of the season.
Are you excited to see Hamlin play again in a regular season game? Make sure to let us know in the comment box.