Damar Hamlin attends first game since collaspe

Buffalo Payments security Damar Hamlin attended Sunday’s playoff recreation in opposition to the Cincinnati Bengals, his first recreation since he collapsed on the sector earlier this month. 

The Payments posted a video on Twitter of Hamlin donning sun shades, a hoodie and a puffer jacket as he’s pushed by safety to the workforce’s locker room. The video, captioned “Welcome dwelling,” additionally confirmed Hamlin’s mom and youthful brother heading into the locker room individually. 

Hamlin gave a locker room speak to his teammates forward of the sport, in line with CBS Sports activities’ Tracy Wolfson.  

Hamlin’s go to to Highmark Stadium is his first public look since Jan. 2, when he collapsed after taking successful to the chest from Bengals’ broad receiver Tee Higgins. 

Hamlin’s locker room speech happened simply earlier than Sunday’s AFC Divisional Spherical recreation — a rematch of the sport that was canceled after Hamlin went into cardiac arrest. 

The Payments tweeted a photograph mid-game of Hamlin cheering on his workforce, holding up his signature coronary heart hand gesture as the gang roared in assist. 

Previous to Sunday Hamlin was seen in a photograph linebacker Matt Milano posted on his Instagram account of his teammate on the Payments facility on Saturday. And he is not but spoken publicly apart from posting messages on his social media accounts.

Regardless of his public look, Damar nonetheless faces a prolonged rehabilitation, his advertising and marketing consultant informed The Related Press on Thursday night time.

“Damar nonetheless requires oxygen and is having his coronary heart monitored often to make sure there aren’t any setbacks or after results,” Jordon Rooney mentioned. “Although he is ready to go to the workforce’s facility, Damar is just not in place to journey typically, and requires further relaxation to assist his physique heal.”

Rooney supplied the replace to emphasise Hamlin nonetheless faces hurdles since being discharged from Buffalo Normal Medical Heart on Jan. 11. Hamlin’s launch got here 5 days after his docs mentioned the participant was respiratory on his personal, strolling, speaking and exhibiting no indicators of neurological harm.

Rooney’s replace additionally gave perspective to feedback made by Payments coach Sean McDermott, who on Wednesday mentioned Hamlin has begun making common visits to the workforce’s facility. McDermott, nonetheless, harassed the 24-year-old was taking “a child step at a time,” whereas including, Hamlin is “dipping his toe again in right here and getting on the highway to only getting again to himself.”