Damar Hamlin's miraculous recovery reportedly took another gigantic leap Friday morning.
The Buffalo Bills safety remains in a Cincinnati hospital following his terrifying in-game collapse Monday night, but his breathing tube has been removed, the Bills announced Friday.
The Bills also mentioned Hamlin has been able to speak with his teammates back in Orchard Park, N.Y., as they prepare for their Week 18 game against the New England Patriots. NFL Media's Ian Rapoport reported Friday morning that in addition to talking to various teammates on FaceTime, Hamlin is addressing the team as a whole.
The Bills confirmed it shortly thereafter.
NFL Media's Mike Giardi, via Rapoport, said various texts from inside the Bills locker room indicate the experience has been "incredible" and "amazing," which is certainly unsurprising.
Hamlin experienced a cardiac event during the Bills' "Monday Night Football" game against the Bengals midway through the first quarter. Medical personnel performed CPR on the field, and Hamlin needed to be resuscitated twice.
That Hamlin even survived the incident was incredible, but doctors on Thursday provided the first public update from the hospital, saying things were going incredibly well with the 24-year-old. The doctors didn't rule out a full return to pre-Monday way of life for Hamlin, and they also didn't shoot down the idea of a return to the football field.
That all is still very much down the road for Hamlin, but there's no doubt this latest update is sensational news for all involved.
