“I died on national TV” – Damar Hamlin defiant as Bills star targets NFL comeback 106 days after collapse
Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin is set to make his NFL comeback this season.
Bills general manager Brandon Beane spoke to reporters Tuesday morning and confirmed that Hamlin has been cleared to return to football activities after suffering a cardiac arrest against the Cincinnati Bengals on Jan. 2.
Hamlin also spoke to the media to announce his comeback:
“I died on national TV in front of the whole world.
#Bills S Damar Hamlin just now:
“I died on national TV in front of the whole world."
"This event was life-changing. But it's not the end of my story. So, I'm here to announce that I plan on making a comeback to the NFL."
Damar Hamlin speaks: "This event was life-changing. But it's not the end of my story. So, I'm here to announce that I plan on making a comeback to the NFL." 🙏
https://t.co/tdiljTMXRm
Damar Hamlin discusses the injury he suffered against the Bengals
Damar Hamlin suffered his injury while trying to make a tackle on Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins. He was knocked unconscious for nine minutes on the field before being transferred to a local hospital. He was later transported to a Buffalo hospital and was then released from the hospital nine days after the injury. Now, 106 days later, he is cleared to resume football activities.
Speaking to local reporters, Hamlin described the injury he suffered. He suffered commotio cordis, which is a sudden arrhythmic death caused by a low/midchest wall impact. The injury is most common between the ages of 8 to 18.
“The diagnosis of what happened to me was commotio cordis," Hamlin said. "It’s a direct blow at a specific point in your heartbeat that causes cardiac arrest. Five to seven seconds later, you fall out, and that’s pretty much what everybody’s seen Jan. 2 of this year.
"Commotio cordis is the leading cause of death in youth athletes across all sports, so that’s something that I will personally be taking a step in to make a change.”
Hamlin will enter his third season with the Bills this year. He played a big role last season as he started 13 games while appearing in 15. He recorded 91 tackles, 1.5 sacks, six tackles for a loss, two pass defelctions and one forced fumble.
If you use any of the above quotes, please credit Damar Hamlin and H/T Sportskeeda.