Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin returned to Highmark Stadium on Sunday less than three weeks after suffering from cardiac arrest on the field at Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati. Attending the AFC divisional-round game against the Cincinnati Bengals marked the first contest Hamlin attended since his injury and remarkable recovery.
The Bengals were Buffalo’s opponent Jan. 2 when Hamlin went down. The training staffs of both Cincinnati and Buffalo have been praised for saving Hamlin’s life following a collision with Bengals receiver Tee Higgins.
As one might expect, Hamlin’s return captured headlines.
Some speculated whether or not Hamlin might take part in a pregame ceremony with the Bills, but that proved not to be the case. Instead, ESPN’s Dianna Russini shared a video of Hamlin taking an elevator up to the Bills suite.
Hamlin’s scary injury and recovery captivated the attention of NFL fans everywhere. The league honored the 24-year-old in Week 18 with “Pray for Damar” shirts, and the Bills continued to pay tribute to their teammate. Hamlin first visited the team Jan. 14 after being discharged from a hospital in Buffalo on Jan. 11 and since has been active on social media, including during the team’s Week 18 game and AFC wild-card win over the Miami Dolphins.
The Bills entered Sunday’s contest as a 6-point home favorite, according to consensus data at NESNBets.com live odds page.
