The NFL fans and players couldn’t believe their eyes when the Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin suddenly collapsed on the field following a serious cardiac arrest and all were just praying for the young star not to face the horrible incident that the Detroit Lions wide receiver Chuck Hughes went through on the 24th of October 1971.
Indeed, it seems all the prayers got fulfilled as Hamlin defied the odds and made an inspiring comeback to the practice session less than five months after experiencing the terrible incident.
Damar Hamlin filly participates in Bills OTAs
The Bills safety returned to the field in May as he participated in individual drills and stretching exercises during an OTA session with the Bills at their training facility, albeit, Damar was not actively participating in the team drills and did not even wear a helmet.
However, during OTAs on Tuesday, he appeared on the field as a full participant for the first time since suffering from cardiac arrest the first month of the year in a game against the Cincinnati Bengals and was seen wearing a helmet and donning his jersey No.3.
Full participant at practice today. 🫶#GoBills | #BillsMafia pic.twitter.com/S0qhsl45V1
— Buffalo Bills (@BuffaloBills) June 6, 2023
The winner of the 2023 George Halas Award continued to participate in drills with his fellow defensive backs and was seen defending against RB Nyheim Hines on a ball thrown downfield as well as paired up with WR KeeSean Johnson on a pass from the QB Kyle Allen, and eventually, the duo fell to the ground in a competition for the catch.
No hard timeline for Damar Hamlin’s complete NFL return
The three-year NFL veteran suffered a cardiac arrest after tackling Bengals WR Tee Higgins and lay unresponsive on the field due to commotion cordis till he was rushed to the hospital.
He was instructed to stay away from the football field, albeit the optimistic star said having survived a “life-changing” event doesn’t mark the end of his story and he proved his words by making a phenomenal comeback to the OTA session.
For the first time in an OTA open to the media, Damar Hamlin wore his helmet and was a full participant in practice. Big step forward. pic.twitter.com/4NVoPBhgFI
— Alaina Getzenberg (@agetzenberg) June 6, 2023
The 25-year-old threw his helmet to the ground in frustration at the OTA session and trainers rushed to check his right shoulder/arm area, fortunately, it wasn’t a big deal and he again returned to the field to join his teammates.
Buffalo’s general manager Brandon Beane disclosed their plan regarding their draft pick from 2021 saying, “We’re just upping his, building his reps up, and he’s great, like, he’s mentally ready to go. He knows the defense. It’s Year 3 into it. It’s all that.”
The NFL world will not like to witness a tragic incident like Hamlin‘s sudden collapse, however, his unweaving optimism and dedication to his craft will continue to motivate all athletes to fight against the odds in their ways.
