Bills’ Damar Hamlin plays in first game since cardiac arrest when team hosts Colts in preseason opener

Less than a year after suffering cardiac arrest during a “Monday Night Football” game, Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin is back on the field. Hamlin started on the Bills kickoff coverage team and made a few tackles in the early portions of Buffalo’s preseason opener against the Colts. 

Hamlin, who was cleared by doctors in April, is trying not to focus too much on what is to come and instead is staying present.

“Trying to look forward, it just creates a lot of anxiety, a lot of unnecessary feelings,” he said. “If you stay in the moment, it allows you to process it when you’re there.”

When asked what he thinks it will feel like to make the highly anticipated return to the field, Hamlin said, “It’s too soon, man.”

McDermott, meanwhile, said he is being mindful of how Hamlin is adjusting to getting back to team activities. 

“This is to some extent uncharted territory for me as well, and all of us. So we’re just trying to do the best we can to be there for him,” McDermott said. “I try to keep a close eye on where he is and where he’s showing up and how he’s responding. And he’s done a great job.”

Buffalo had a stadium practice last week, and the environment made Hamlin reflect on the last time he was at a Bills home game, the AFC divisional game, saying, “It was an emotional day. I felt the love then.”

Hamlin returned to the practice field in June, which was five months since his heart stopped as a result of commotio cordis. Since then, Hamlin’s comeback has been impressive, and he has improved greatly from doing light drills to intercepting a pass from quarterback Matt Barkley in practice. 

Hamlin has been adamant that the scary scene during that Monday night game against the Cincinnati Bengals would not be the end of his story. The next chapter has begun with his return to the field on Saturday.