Nine days after collapsing on live TV during an NFL game, Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin has returned home. Doctors made the announcement today (Jan. 11). Jamie Nadler, the athlete’s MD, provided an update on Hamlin’s condition, noting that the NFL pro can continue his recovery with his team:
“We have completed a series of tests and evaluations, and in consultation with the team physicians, we are confident that Damar can be safely discharged to continue his rehabilitation at home and with the Bills.“
Head coach of the football team, Sean McDermott, said that they are letting Hamlin decide when he would like to return to the team facility. “His health is first and foremost on our mind as far as this situation,” McDermott stated. “And then when he feels ready, we will welcome him back.”
The University of Cincinnati Medical Center released Hamlin on Monday (Jan. 9), at which point he was transferred to the Buffalo hospital. The defensive back spent almost a week at the Cincinnati medical facility after suffering cardiac arrest during the first quarter of a “Monday Night Football” game between the Bills and the Bengals. The NFL initially postponed the game after Hamlin collapsed on the field but canceled it days later.
The Bills returned to football on Sunday (Jan. 8) for the first time since Hamlin’s accident, and they beat the New England Patriots. During the game, the entire stadium focused on Hamlin as all the players wore No. 3 shirts during warm-ups in support of the second-year pro. The players from both teams wore “3” patches on their jerseys, and they also acknowledged the Bills’ medical and athletic training staff before the game.
Hamlin is at home, and his team is practicing with him in mind as they get ready to battle the Miami Dolphins in round one of the NFL playoffs.
“I feel really good about where [Hamlin’s health and well-being] is though, and the fact that he’s home with his parents,” McDermott added. “And for us, as Damar’s dad has said to us multiple times and Damar has mentioned as well, they want us to go do our job, and that’s what we’ve got to do.”