Global Courant
Damar Hamlin continues to make progress in his hopeful return to play for the Buffalo Bills when he was first spotted wearing a helmet during practice on Tuesday.
Hamlin returned to the field in May, but he was restricted to individual side drills without wearing a helmet during the media portions of practice as the Bills remained cautious. GM Brandon Beane added that he wore it – just not for the media to see.
Either way, they clearly saw what they needed in terms of his progression with Hamlin taking part in team drills on Tuesday.
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Buffalo Bills defenseman Damar Hamlin (3) trains during NFL football practice in Orchard Park, NY, Tuesday, May 23, 2023. (AP Photo/Jeffrey T. Barnes)
Beane told ESPN’s Alaina Getzenberg that he is “very proud” of Hamlin for reaching this step in his recovery since going into cardiac arrest in January during a game against the Cincinnati Bengals.
ESPN did add that Hamlin was a bit fearful of injury during the practice session, as he went up for a contested ball and was slow to get up. He was with trainers looking at his right arm/shoulder area, and was seen throwing his helmet in frustration.
That frustration was short-lived, however, as shortly after being checked, he was back on the pitch participating in drills with his teammates.
Hamlin was a happy camper, you might say, as the Bills posted photos of him throwing his now signature heart hands in the air.
However, Hamlin’s timeline is still up in the air as head coach Sean McDermott and Beane have not laid out the plan.
There’s still a lot of time before the Bills’ first preseason game is scheduled, though training camp begins at the end of July.
Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin attends an event with lawmakers to introduce the Access to AEDs Act on March 29, 2023 in Washington, DC. The safety of bills Damar Hamlin, who went into cardiac arrest during a game, helped introduce the bill that would improve student access to defibrillators in public and private elementary and high schools. (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)
Hamlin has come a long way since that fateful night in Cincinnati, where he said, “I died on national TV,” after trainers and medical staff saved his life by performing CPR on the field, while everyone watching looked on in amazement. from the stands and at home. .
But a horrible scene quickly turned into a story of hope and determination for Hamlin, who walked with all the support he received from inside and outside the NFL.
His football career was in serious jeopardy, but now that he’s back on the field, we might see Hamlin strap on his sanitary pads and wear his number 3 for the Bills sometime this season.
Buffalo Bills defenseman Damar Hamlin (3) trains during NFL football practice in Orchard Park, NY, Tuesday, May 23, 2023. (AP Photo/Jeffrey T. Barnes)
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The Bills have their mandatory mini-camping next week from June 13-15.
Scott Thompson is a sportswriter for Fox News Digital.
