Buffalo Bills’ Damar Hamlin cleared to resume football activities

The Washington PostApril 18, 2023

Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin has been cleared by medical experts to “resume full activities” in his potential return to football, team officials said Tuesday.

General Manager Brandon Beane said at a news conference that Hamlin, 25, had consulted with specialists as recently as Friday.

“They’re all in lockstep of what this was and that he is cleared to resume full activities, just like anyone else who is coming back from an injury or whatever,” Beane said. “So he’s fully cleared. He’s here. And he is of the mind-set — he’s in a great head space — to come back and make his return.”

Hamlin is participating in the Bills’ offseason workouts at their training facility in Orchard Park, N.Y., the team announced.

“We’re super excited for Damar,” Coach Sean McDermott said. “He’s moving forward one step at a time here. He’s been cleared from a physical standpoint. And we’ll provide all the mental help we can from a mind, body and spirit standpoint.”

During the Bills’ Jan. 2 game in Cincinnati against the Bengals, Hamlin collapsed after making a tackle and suffered cardiac arrest on the field. Medical personnel resuscitated him, and he was transported by ambulance to the University of Cincinnati Medical Center, where he proceeded to make what his doctors called a remarkable recovery. He later was transported to a Buffalo-area hospital and then released to continue his recovery at home and under the Bills’ supervision.

“When he left Cincinnati and came here, it was Buffalo General [Medical Center],” Beane said. “He saw a couple of specialists here in Buffalo. And then since then, he’s seen three additional specialists, most recently on Friday. And they’re all in agreement. It’s not two to one or three to one or anything like that.”

Beane said Hamlin “is prepared to come back and play.”

Ira Turner, one of Hamlin’s representatives, confirmed that specialists have cleared Hamlin for all activities, including on-field football activities.

“We’re excited for him,” Turner said in a phone interview Tuesday. “This has been a dream of his since he’s been a kid.”

“[We’re] super just thankful that he’s in the spot that he’s in today,” McDermott said.

Said Bills quarterback Josh Allen: “I haven’t been able to give him a big, old hug yet. But it’s been good to see him in the building. Right when this thing happened, that was his mind-set from the very start was, ‘I’m going to play again.’ And you’re never going to doubt a guy like that, who’s had a lot of adversity in his life and he’s continued to find ways.”

Hamlin previously has expressed interest in resuming his NFL career. “Yeah, I think so,” he said to President Biden during a visit to the White House last month when asked whether he thought he would be able to play.

Allen Sills, the NFL’s chief medical officer, told Washington Post reporters and editors during a videoconference in February that the Bills and their medical staff were arranging for Hamlin to receive additional opinions from medical experts to assist him in making a decision about whether to resume his football career.

“They’ll gather opinions, and then, [with] all of those opinions, they’ll sit down with Mr. Hamlin, his family, his agents, all the people that love him and lay that out,” Sills said then.

The process was “not a league-led function,” Sills said. Hamlin and his advisers would make the decision without further clearance required by the NFL and the NFL Players Association, Sills added.

“It’s his decision,” Sills said in February. “And he is the person that will need to drive that decision, and then we’ll all line up and support that. … I think right now the focus is on his recovery and his continued improvement. And then there will be another day and time to discuss all that. But it will be strictly led by him and those that are close to him. And the Buffalo medical staff … already engaged and will engage a lot of experts to help provide input and opinions into that process.”

Thom Mayer, the NFLPA’s medical director, said on SiriusXM Doctor Radio in February, “I guarantee you … that Damar Hamlin will play professional football again.”

Hamlin was in Phoenix for Super Bowl-related activities. He appeared at the NFLPA’s news conference and received the union’s award, named for former NFL great Alan Page, for community service. Hamlin received a standing ovation when he appeared onstage that week at the NFL Honors awards show.

“My vision was about playing in the NFL and being the best player that I could be,” Hamlin said that night. “But God’s plan was to have a purpose greater than any game in this world. … I have a long journey ahead, a journey full of unknowns and a journey full of milestones. But it’s a lot easier to face your fears when you know your purpose.”

Sills said in February that no final diagnosis had been made as to the cause of Hamlin’s cardiac arrest. NFLPA medical officials previously had said commotio cordis, a rare condition in which an impact to the chest causes an abnormal heart rhythm and cardiac arrest, was suspected as a working but not final diagnosis. One of Hamlin’s doctors in Cincinnati previously called commotio cordis a possibility but said it was too early in the process to make a determination.

Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin has been cleared by medical experts to “resume full activities” in his potential return to football, team officials said Tuesday.

General Manager Brandon Beane said at a news conference that Hamlin, 25, had consulted with specialists as recently as Friday.

“They’re all in lockstep of what this was and that he is cleared to resume full activities, just like anyone else who is coming back from an injury or whatever,” Beane said. “So he’s fully cleared. He’s here. And he is of the mind-set — he’s in a great head space — to come back and make his return.”

Hamlin is participating in the Bills’ offseason workouts at their training facility in Orchard Park, N.Y., the team announced.

“We’re super excited for Damar,” Coach Sean McDermott said. “He’s moving forward one step at a time here. He’s been cleared from a physical standpoint. And we’ll provide all the mental help we can from a mind, body and spirit standpoint.”

During the Bills’ Jan. 2 game in Cincinnati against the Bengals, Hamlin collapsed after making a tackle and suffered cardiac arrest on the field. Medical personnel resuscitated him, and he was transported by ambulance to the University of Cincinnati Medical Center, where he proceeded to make what his doctors called a remarkable recovery. He later was transported to a Buffalo-area hospital and then released to continue his recovery at home and under the Bills’ supervision.

“When he left Cincinnati and came here, it was Buffalo General [Medical Center],” Beane said. “He saw a couple of specialists here in Buffalo. And then since then, he’s seen three additional specialists, most recently on Friday. And they’re all in agreement. It’s not two to one or three to one or anything like that.”

Beane said Hamlin “is prepared to come back and play.”

Ira Turner, one of Hamlin’s representatives, confirmed that specialists have cleared Hamlin for all activities, including on-field football activities.

“We’re excited for him,” Turner said in a phone interview Tuesday. “This has been a dream of his since he’s been a kid.”

“[We’re] super just thankful that he’s in the spot that he’s in today,” McDermott said.

Said Bills quarterback Josh Allen: “I haven’t been able to give him a big, old hug yet. But it’s been good to see him in the building. Right when this thing happened, that was his mind-set from the very start was, ‘I’m going to play again.’ And you’re never going to doubt a guy like that, who’s had a lot of adversity in his life and he’s continued to find ways.”

Hamlin previously has expressed interest in resuming his NFL career. “Yeah, I think so,” he said to President Biden during a visit to the White House last month when asked whether he thought he would be able to play.

Allen Sills, the NFL’s chief medical officer, told Washington Post reporters and editors during a videoconference in February that the Bills and their medical staff were arranging for Hamlin to receive additional opinions from medical experts to assist him in making a decision about whether to resume his football career.

“They’ll gather opinions, and then, [with] all of those opinions, they’ll sit down with Mr. Hamlin, his family, his agents, all the people that love him and lay that out,” Sills said then.

The process was “not a league-led function,” Sills said. Hamlin and his advisers would make the decision without further clearance required by the NFL and the NFL Players Association, Sills added.

“It’s his decision,” Sills said in February. “And he is the person that will need to drive that decision, and then we’ll all line up and support that. … I think right now the focus is on his recovery and his continued improvement. And then there will be another day and time to discuss all that. But it will be strictly led by him and those that are close to him. And the Buffalo medical staff … already engaged and will engage a lot of experts to help provide input and opinions into that process.”

Thom Mayer, the NFLPA’s medical director, said on SiriusXM Doctor Radio in February, “I guarantee you … that Damar Hamlin will play professional football again.”

Hamlin was in Phoenix for Super Bowl-related activities. He appeared at the NFLPA’s news conference and received the union’s award, named for former NFL great Alan Page, for community service. Hamlin received a standing ovation when he appeared onstage that week at the NFL Honors awards show.

“My vision was about playing in the NFL and being the best player that I could be,” Hamlin said that night. “But God’s plan was to have a purpose greater than any game in this world. … I have a long journey ahead, a journey full of unknowns and a journey full of milestones. But it’s a lot easier to face your fears when you know your purpose.”

Sills said in February that no final diagnosis had been made as to the cause of Hamlin’s cardiac arrest. NFLPA medical officials previously had said commotio cordis, a rare condition in which an impact to the chest causes an abnormal heart rhythm and cardiac arrest, was suspected as a working but not final diagnosis. One of Hamlin’s doctors in Cincinnati previously called commotio cordis a possibility but said it was too early in the process to make a determination.

Buffalo Bills’ Damar Hamlin cleared to resume football activities The Washington PostApril 18, 2023

Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin has been cleared by medical experts to “resume full activities” in his potential return to football, team officials said Tuesday.

General Manager Brandon Beane said at a news conference that Hamlin, 25, had consulted with specialists as recently as Friday.

“They’re all in lockstep of what this was and that he is cleared to resume full activities, just like anyone else who is coming back from an injury or whatever,” Beane said. “So he’s fully cleared. He’s here. And he is of the mind-set — he’s in a great head space — to come back and make his return.”

Hamlin is participating in the Bills’ offseason workouts at their training facility in Orchard Park, N.Y., the team announced.

“We’re super excited for Damar,” Coach Sean McDermott said. “He’s moving forward one step at a time here. He’s been cleared from a physical standpoint. And we’ll provide all the mental help we can from a mind, body and spirit standpoint.”

During the Bills’ Jan. 2 game in Cincinnati against the Bengals, Hamlin collapsed after making a tackle and suffered cardiac arrest on the field. Medical personnel resuscitated him, and he was transported by ambulance to the University of Cincinnati Medical Center, where he proceeded to make what his doctors called a remarkable recovery. He later was transported to a Buffalo-area hospital and then released to continue his recovery at home and under the Bills’ supervision.

“When he left Cincinnati and came here, it was Buffalo General [Medical Center],” Beane said. “He saw a couple of specialists here in Buffalo. And then since then, he’s seen three additional specialists, most recently on Friday. And they’re all in agreement. It’s not two to one or three to one or anything like that.”

Beane said Hamlin “is prepared to come back and play.”

Ira Turner, one of Hamlin’s representatives, confirmed that specialists have cleared Hamlin for all activities, including on-field football activities.

“We’re excited for him,” Turner said in a phone interview Tuesday. “This has been a dream of his since he’s been a kid.”

“[We’re] super just thankful that he’s in the spot that he’s in today,” McDermott said.

Said Bills quarterback Josh Allen: “I haven’t been able to give him a big, old hug yet. But it’s been good to see him in the building. Right when this thing happened, that was his mind-set from the very start was, ‘I’m going to play again.’ And you’re never going to doubt a guy like that, who’s had a lot of adversity in his life and he’s continued to find ways.”

Hamlin previously has expressed interest in resuming his NFL career. “Yeah, I think so,” he said to President Biden during a visit to the White House last month when asked whether he thought he would be able to play.

Allen Sills, the NFL’s chief medical officer, told Washington Post reporters and editors during a videoconference in February that the Bills and their medical staff were arranging for Hamlin to receive additional opinions from medical experts to assist him in making a decision about whether to resume his football career.

“They’ll gather opinions, and then, [with] all of those opinions, they’ll sit down with Mr. Hamlin, his family, his agents, all the people that love him and lay that out,” Sills said then.

The process was “not a league-led function,” Sills said. Hamlin and his advisers would make the decision without further clearance required by the NFL and the NFL Players Association, Sills added.

“It’s his decision,” Sills said in February. “And he is the person that will need to drive that decision, and then we’ll all line up and support that. … I think right now the focus is on his recovery and his continued improvement. And then there will be another day and time to discuss all that. But it will be strictly led by him and those that are close to him. And the Buffalo medical staff … already engaged and will engage a lot of experts to help provide input and opinions into that process.”

Thom Mayer, the NFLPA’s medical director, said on SiriusXM Doctor Radio in February, “I guarantee you … that Damar Hamlin will play professional football again.”

Hamlin was in Phoenix for Super Bowl-related activities. He appeared at the NFLPA’s news conference and received the union’s award, named for former NFL great Alan Page, for community service. Hamlin received a standing ovation when he appeared onstage that week at the NFL Honors awards show.

“My vision was about playing in the NFL and being the best player that I could be,” Hamlin said that night. “But God’s plan was to have a purpose greater than any game in this world. … I have a long journey ahead, a journey full of unknowns and a journey full of milestones. But it’s a lot easier to face your fears when you know your purpose.”

Sills said in February that no final diagnosis had been made as to the cause of Hamlin’s cardiac arrest. NFLPA medical officials previously had said commotio cordis, a rare condition in which an impact to the chest causes an abnormal heart rhythm and cardiac arrest, was suspected as a working but not final diagnosis. One of Hamlin’s doctors in Cincinnati previously called commotio cordis a possibility but said it was too early in the process to make a determination.