Damar Hamlin Is Cleared to Return to Football

Medical professionals administered CPR to Hamlin and attended to him for 10 minutes as players from both teams were visibly upset, some shedding tears on the sideline and others circling together and kneeling in prayer. Hamlin was revived on the field and then rushed him to a Cincinnati hospital, where he spent nearly a week in the intensive care unit. He was later transported to a hospital in Buffalo to continue his recovery.

In the days after the collapse, Hamlin received an outpouring of support, with more than 200,000 people donating more than $9 million to a toy drive Hamlin had previously established on a GoFundMe page. A representative for Hamlin has said the money will go to Hamlin’s charitable foundation.

Hamlin’s agent, Ira Turner, in a brief interview Tuesday said that Hamlin did not need to sign a special waiver or complete any additional contractual steps to return to play. The Bills placed Hamlin on the injured reserve list while he rehabbed. Turner said Hamlin has continued to work out and is in “great” shape.

“He’s ready, he’s excited,” Turner said. “I’m sure there are nerves there as with anything but he’s ready to go.”

Since being released from the hospital in January, Hamlin has made a number of high profile public appearances. He helped to honor Bills athletic training and medical staff and the hospital staff who treated him during a pregame ceremony at the Super Bowl in February. Days before the championship game, Hamlin gave an emotional speech after accepting the Community Award during the N.F.L. Honors ceremony.

Article source: https://www.nytimes.com/2023/04/18/sports/football/damar-hamlin-bills-return.html