Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin warms up before a game against the Cleveland Browns at Ford Field in November, 2022.
Lon Horwedel | USA Today Sports | Reuters
Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin was discharged from the hospital on Wednesday, after tests showed he was fit enough to rehab at home, the team announced.
Hamlin left Buffalo General Medical Center after he “went through a comprehensive medical evaluation as well as a series of cardiac, neurological and vascular testing on Tuesday,” according to the Bills.
“We have completed a series of tests and evaluations and in consultation with the team physicians, we are confident that Damar can be safely discharged to continue his rehabilitation at home and with the Bills,” Dr. Jamie Nadler said in a statement released through the team.
Hamlin, 24, suffered cardiac arrest and collapsed on the field on Jan. 2, during the first quarter Buffalo’s game at Cincinnati’s Paycor Stadium.
He had made what appeared to be a routine tackle of Bengals receiver Tee Higgins when the second-year safety went limp and fell backward to the ground.
It’s still unclear how that simple play contributed to Hamlin’s cardiac arrest.
Doctors last week speculated that Hamlin might have experienced “commotio cordis,” a rare phenomenon in which blunt force to the chest can cause a healthy heart to stop beating during a narrow window of the cardiac cycle.
Ever since that scary incident, Hamlin has been the target of unwavering support of football fans who have shown their support for him at stadiums across the NFL.
That Bills-Bengals game had to be cancelled which might have cost Buffalo the No. 1 AFC seed in the upcoming playoffs. The Bills finished 13-3, a half-game behind the Kansas City Chiefs (14-3) for the conference’s top spot and a first-round playoff bye.
Instead, the Bills ended with the No. 2 seed and will play host to the Miami Dolphins on Sunday in a wildcard-round game.