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The Buffalo Bills kicked off their first press conference following the start of their voluntary workout program with extraordinary news on Tuesday, April 18, as general manager Brandon Beane revealed that Damar Hamlin has been “fully cleared” to return to the field and play football.
Three and a half months ago, on January 2, as the nation watched Hamlin suffer cardiac arrest during a Monday Night Football game against the Cincinnati Bengals, the worry was whether the safety would survive after being resuscitated on the field. Even amid his remarkable recovery, the idea of the 25-year-old suiting up again seemed like a pipe dream.
After working out with his teammates on Tuesday, Hamlin addressed the media himself and confirmed the official diagnosis behind his cardiac arrest. Putting to rest wild conspiracy theories about what caused him to collapse, Hamlin revealed he suffered from commotio cordis after taking a hit from Bengals receiver Tee Higgins.
“It’s a direct blow at a specific point in your heartbeat that causes cardiac arrest,” Hamlin explained. “And five to seven seconds later, you fall out and that’s pretty much what everyone was seeing January 2 of this year.”
“Commotio cordis is the leading cause of death in youth athletes across all sports, so that’s something I will personally be taking a step in to make a change,” Hamlin continued. “And with the beings said, all the awareness around CPR and the access to AED’s (automated external defibrillators) have been lowering that number, as well.”
As defined by the American Heart Association,”Commotio cordis is an extremely rare, serious medical condition that can happen after a sudden, blunt impact to the chest. If the physical blow hits during a narrow window in the heart rhythm, it can disrupt the heartbeat and cause sudden cardiac arrest.
“Commotio cordis (pronounced ke-MO-she-o-KORD-is) is not linked to underlying cardiac issues or heart disease. It is often fatal, but lifesaving measures including CPR and the use of an (AED) can increase survival rates. This condition is most common in young male athletes. It is frequently caused by baseballs, softballs, lacrosse balls, hockey pucks or physical contact from other athletes.”
‘My Heart Is Still in the Game,’ Damar Hamlin Said of Returning to the NFL
While Hamlin acknowledged the mental roadblocks standing ahead of him, his desire to return and play is stronger than ever. “My heart is still in the game,” he said. “I love the game. It’s something I want to prove to myself, not nobody else. I just want to show people that fear is a choice. You can keep going in something without having the answers and without knowing what’s at the end of the tunnel. Or you might feel anxious, you might feel any type of way, but you keep putting that right foot in front of the left one and you keep going. I want to stand for that.”
“Not to sound cliché, but the wild moment is every day just being able to wake up and take deep breaths and live a peaceful life,” the former sixth-round pick in 2021 said.
“To have a family, to have people around me that love me and care about me, and for those people to still have me in their lives. You know they almost lost me. I died on national TV in front of the whole world. So, I see it from all perspectives. For them to still have me around, and for me to still have them, it goes both ways. And I lost a bunch of people in my life, and I know a bunch of people who have lost people in their lives, and I know that feeling. So that right there is just the biggest blessing of it all. For me to still have my people, and for my people to still have me.”
Sean McDermott Said They’re Moving ‘One Step at a Time’ With Hamlin
While Sean McDermott is “super excited” for Hamlin’s return, the Bills head coach reiterated that it would be a lengthy process before the safety steps back onto the field.
“He’s moving forward one step at a time here,” McDermott told reporters of Hamlin’s comeback. “He’s been cleared from a physical standpoint and we’ll provide all the mental health we can from a mind, body, and spiritual standpoint. So just happy for him. That he’s been able to check some of those boxes to this point and moving forward we’re taking it one step at a time.”
With the return of Jordan Poyer and Micah Hyde back to full health, the Bills have their starting safety duo ready to go. The Bills also signed Taylor Rapp in free agency, which means there shouldn’t be a rush for Hamlin’s return.
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