Damar Hamlin is just months removed from the scariest moment of his life. Despite the life-threatening incident, the Buffalo Bills safety is now back on the field.
On Monday, Hamlin practiced in pads for the very first time since going into cardiac arrest in January. With the contact now as real as ever, he admitted to reporters that there was some fear going into Bills practice. However, Hamlin was determined not to let that fear rule over him in his return to play.
“In football, you can’t hit that field with no hesitation,” Hamlin said, via Michael David Smith of ProFootball Talk. “You’re putting yourself in more danger by doing that. I made the choice to play, but I’m processing a thousand emotions. I’m not afraid to say that it crosses my mind of being a little scared here and there. But like I say, my strength is rooted in my faith, and my faith is stronger than any fear. That’s what I want to preach up here, and that’s the message I want to spread on to the world. As long as your faith is stronger than your fear, you can get through anything. So that’s what I’m living by right now.”
"I'm processing a thousand emotions. I'm not afraid to say it crosses my mind of being a little scared here and there but my strength is rooted in my faith and my faith is stronger than any fear."
Damar Hamlin after his first practice in pads since suffering cardiac arrest. pic.twitter.com/4zW0TCye05
— Heather Prusak (@haprusak) July 31, 2023
Hamlin was given a chance to live a second life in more ways than one. The Bills safety still chose to come back to the game that almost took everything away from him.
Back in April, Hamlin said that his “heart is still in the game” as he announced his desire to return to action with the Bills. He also spoke out about overcoming any fear that comes with such risk and uncertainty.
“I just wanna show people that that fear is a choice that you can keep going in something without having the answers and without knowing what’s at the end of the tunnel. Or you might feel anxious, you might feel any type of way, but you just keep putting that right foot in front of the left one, and you keep going. I want to stand for that,” Hamlin had said in April.”
Hamlin played 15 games for the Bills last season. He tallied 91 combined tackles, which ranked third on the team, before suffering his scary moment during the Monday night game gainst the Bengals.
