Bills' Damar Hamlin Discusses Playing in 1st Regular-Season Game Since Cardiac Arrest

The Buffalo Bills cruised to a dominant 48-20 win over the Miami Dolphins on Sunday, but they had even more reason to celebrate as safety Damar Hamlin made his return to the field for the first time since he suffered cardiac arrest during a game last season.

Hamlin appeared on Buffalo's opening kickoff coverage team and saw more actions on special teams during the contest. While he didn't record a tackle, he still relished the opportunity to play again.

"It felt amazing. The energy from the fans was amazing," Hamlin told reporters. "Just being able to be out there with my teammates, have my family in the stands... Everybody on the team just gave me confidence, feeding me positive energy, positive everything. Just to play out there with everyone again felt amazing."

Hamlin shared a special moment with his teammates before the game. He was the last player to emerge from the tunnel, much to the delight of the home crowd:

Hamlin collapsed on the field during a Monday Night Football game against the Cincinnati Bengals on Jan. 2. The Bills training and medical staff administered life-saving measures before he was transported by ambulance to a Cincinnati hospital, where he spent a week to continue his recovery.

The 25-year-old announced in April that he was fully cleared by multiple specialists to return to playing football. He participated in OTAs and training camp this offseason, and he played in all three of Buffalo's preseason games.

Hamlin was a healthy scratch for the first three weeks of the regular season, but he got the opportunity to see some action against the Dolphins when Bills starting safety Jordan Poyer was ruled out due to a knee injury. Backup safety Taylor Rapp got the start on defense in Poyer's place and finished second on the team with six tackles.

The return of Hamlin continues a run in the positive direction for Buffalo following the team's season-opening loss against the New York Jets.

The Bills (3-1) will be seeking their fourth straight win when they travel to London in Week 5 to face the Jacksonville Jaguars (2-2).