Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin made his official return to football during an OTA session on Tuesday (June 6), appearing on the field for the first time since suffering cardiac arrest in January, ESPN's Alaina Getzenberg reports.
"Hamlin was slow to get up from a contested ball in a team drill and spent brief time with athletic trainers looking at his right arm/shoulder. He threw his helmet in frustration, but returned to practice and continued participating shortly after," Getzenberg reported.
Bills general manager Brandon Beane confirmed that Hamlin was cleared to resume full activity in April, just three months removed from suffering cardiac arrest during a since-canceled Monday Night Football game against the Cincinnati Bengals.
"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. They're all in lockstep of what this was and that he is cleared, resume full activities just like anyone else who was coming back from an injury or whatever so he's fully cleared, he's here and he is of the mindset, he's in a great headspace to come back and make his return," Beane said at the time.
Hamlin suffered cardiac arrest during the first quarter of the Bills' since-cancelled Monday Night Football game against the Cincinnati Bengals on January 2. A stretcher and ambulance came onto the field and CPR was administered by first responders.
Hamlin was hospitalized at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center and initially reported to be in critical condition before making a miraculous recovery, which coincided with an outpouring of support from players, coaches and fans. A GoFundMe page initially launched by Hamlin's Chasing M's Foundation to support a toy drive prior to his medical situation -- and later to support his recovery after far exceeding its $2,500 goal -- raised more than $9 million.
The Pittsburgh native was released from UC Medical Center one week after suffering cardiac arrest and discharged from Buffalo General Medical Center/Gates Vascular Institute after completing a series of tests and evaluations two days later.
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