Bills' Damar Hamlin: Playing in Preseason Game Was 'Good Step in the Right Direction'

Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin took the next step in his journey back to the playing field on Saturday.

Hamlin participated in his first game—a preseason matchup against the Indianapolis Colts—since suffering a cardiac arrest during a January matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals during the 2022 season.

After the game, a 23-19 win for the Bills, Hamlin said it was a "good step in the right direction":

He also said he was full of emotion in his return to the gridiron.

"I was feeling everything all at once," Hamlin told reporters after the win.

"When I'm feeling those nerves, those emotions it just means I really love this, I love this. I wanna be here, I wanna play, I wanna do good, I wanna be one of the greats," Hamlin added.

"That's pretty much where the emotions come from."

While Hamlin admitted that he was nervous to step back into the game day spotlight, he also told reporters that this was a big milestone in his recovery.

"It was super fun, it was a great experience, just another milestone of getting back to myself," Hamlin said. "Just chopping this tree down one step by one."

Additionally, Bills head coach Sean McDermott lauded Hamlin for his determination to get back on the field after suffering such a traumatic event not long ago.

"What we just witnessed is remarkable," McDermott told reporters. "Truly remarkable display of courage, strength and faith."

In his first drive back on the field, Hamlin made a critical tackle on Colts running back Evan Hull on fourth-and-short to force a turnover on downs. His immediate impact was a reminder that he can still be a solid player for Buffalo this season.

Hamlin suffered a cardiac arrest on January 2 after getting hit during a game against the Bengals at Cincinnati's Paycor Stadium. He has slowly worked his way back to the field since being cleared to play by medical professionals in April.

The 25-year-old returned to practice in June and has been participating in training camp this summer before getting the call to start Saturday's preseason matchup against the Colts.

Hamlin is slated to serve as a depth option at safety in 2023 behind Micah Hyde and Jordan Poyer, though he should still see a solid amount of playing time.

In 15 games last season, including 13 starts, Hamlin posted two pass breakups, one forced fumble, 1.5 sacks and 91 tackles.