Damar Hamlin Completes Miracle Comeback with Buffalo Bills Tuesday
Less than nine months after it began, Damar Hamlin's miracle comeback is officially complete.
The Buffalo Bills, along with the rest of the teams in the National Football League, made their obligatory roster cuts this afternoon, trimming their rosters down to the league mandated 53 players. The Bills had a log-jam of players who were vying for spots in the secondary, which put Hamlin's roster spot in jeopardy.
The Bills completed their roster cuts, and fans in Buffalo and across the league alike rejoiced to see Hamlin's name still on their roster.
Buffalo Bills Make Roster Cuts; Damar Hamlin Remains on Buffalo's Active Roster
It was on January 2, 2023, in a Buffalo Bills' game that was being featured on Monday Night Football, that Damar Hamlin suffered cardiac arrest and collapsed on the field. Hamlin was rushed to the hospital, where he was intubated and sedated, and from there, the entire world seemed to hold their collective breaths and wait for news on his condition.
Days later, it was reported that Hamlin was awake, and neurologically intact. It was truly miraculous news, but his recovery had only just begun at that point.
From there, Hamlin continued his recovery as a human, as well as an athlete. While recovering and building back strength, Hamlin also used his platform to affect positive change in the community around him. He spoke with Congress, urging them to provide more AEDs (automated external defibrillators) to high schools and other athletic programs across the country.
He also went on a multi-city "tour" this offseason, distributing AEDs and helping teach CPR to local residents.
Then, when summer rolled around, it was time for him to attend training camp, and fight for a spot on the Buffalo Bills' roster. Hamlin performed well enough during camp, and the subsequent preseason games, to maintain his spot on the roster.
When the Buffalo Bills suit-up against the New York Jets on September 11th, Damar Hamlin will pull on his jersey for his first regular season game since that fateful night. As fans, we'll all be watching him play with smiles on our faces, knowing how much adversity he battled through in order to get back to that point.
It's already one of the best stories of this NFL season, and we haven't even kicked off yet.