Bills GM: Damar Hamlin's 'End Game' Is to Return to NFL, Has to See More Specialists

Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin is targeting an eventual return to game action in the NFL.

According to NFL Network's Mike Giardi, Bills general manager Brandon Beane said Tuesday that Hamlin's "end game is to keep playing."

Beane added that Hamlin still has to see two or three more specialists and there is still a long way to go in the process of getting him cleared to return to football.

After tackling Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins during the first quarter of Buffalo's Week 17 road game against Cincinnati, Hamlin collapsed to the turf and had to be revived with life-saving CPR.

It was determined that Hamlin had gone into cardiac arrest, and he was rushed to a Cincinnati-area hospital. Over the course of a week in the hospital, he regained the ability to speak and breathe without assistance.

Hamlin recovered to the point that he was able to attend the Bills' AFC Divisional Round game against the Bengals, and then gave a speech on stage at the NFL Honors awards show a few days before the Super Bowl.

Despite the scary nature of what occurred in Cincinnati, Hamlin has made it clear that he would like to play again.

Earlier this month, Hamlin told Fox's Michael Strahan (h/t ESPN's Alaina Getzenberg) of his desire to return to play: "Eventually. That's always the goal, like I said, as a competitor, you know, I'm trying to do things to keep advancing my situation. But I'm allowing that to be in God's hands. I'm just thankful he gave me a second chance."

Additionally, NFLPA medical director Thom Mayer is confident that Hamlin will be able to return to action, guaranteeing it would be possible on SiriusXM's Heart to Heart (h/t ProFootballTalk's Mike Florio).

The 24-year-old Hamlin was a sixth-round draft pick by the Bills out of Pittsburgh in 2021, and he emerged as a significant contributor in his second NFL season.

With veteran safety Micah Hyde being lost for the season with a neck injury early in the 2022 campaign, Hamlin stepped in to start 13 of the 15 games he appeared in.

He set career highs with 91 tackles, six tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, two passes defended and one forced fumble.

No firm indication has been given of when Hamlin could return to pro football.