Topline
Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin has been medically cleared to play football again, the franchise announced Tuesday, three months after Hamlin suffered an on-field cardiac arrest.
Damar Hamlin has been medically cleared to play football again.
Key Facts
Hamlin is “fully cleared” to return to the team after meeting with three separate medical specialists, general manager Brandon Beane said Tuesday, adding Hamlin can play without fear of possible medical complications.
Hamlin will participate in the team’s voluntary workout program Tuesday ahead of the upcoming season, Beane said.
Both the team and medical staff noted that Hamlin had made “substantial improvement” as a “fairly remarkable recovery” shortly after the incident.
Key Background
Hamlin, a 24-year-old safety for the Bills, collapsed to the ground on January 2 after tackling Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins. Bills medical staff then performed CPR and used a defibrillator on the field to resuscitate Hamlin, whose heart had stopped, before he was taken off the field in an ambulance. The game was delayed and subsequently canceled. Hamlin was admitted to a Cincinnati hospital before being discharged and transferred to Buffalo General Medical Center, where he spent a week recovering. Doctors expressed confidence in his recovery after he began to regain movement in his hands and feet. In his first social media post, Hamlin said he had a “long road” to recovery. Hamlin drew widespread support during his recovery: Each of the 32 NFL franchises changed their Twitter profile pictures to a message that said: “PRAY FOR DAMAR,” and President Joe Biden said during Hamlin’s visit to the White House his “courage, resilience and spirit inspired the American people.” The injury brought new attention to player safety, and the NFL faced some criticism for its handling of the incident, with some fans and former players arguing the league should have immediately canceled the game.
Tangent
Several medical professionals speculated that Hamlin’s cardiac arrest was likely caused by commotio cordis, a condition caused by a sudden low to mild impact to the chest that can induce sudden life-threatening heart arrhythmia. The condition is mostly seen in male athletes who participate in contact sports between the ages of eight and 18.
Further Reading
Damar Hamlin Released From Cincinnati Hospital And Has Returned To Buffalo A Week After Collapse (Forbes)
Damar Hamlin Discharged From Buffalo Hospital One Week After Cardiac Arrest (Forbes)
What Is Commotio Cordis? It Might Have Caused Damar Hamlin’s Collapse And Affects Young Athletes At Greater Numbers (Forbes)
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/tylerroush/2023/04/18/damar-hamlin-can-play-for-bills-next-season-after-cardiac-arrest-medical-staff-say/