Billing safety Damar Hamlin returns to action for the first time since cardiac arrest

There are many milestones for Buffalo Bills safety Demara Hamlin in his comeback from a frightening cardiac arrest on the field last season.

He’s already back to practicing on the pads, but getting back in the game must feel like a pretty big deal. After the Bills scored an early touchdown against the Indianapolis Colts, Hamlin was on the starting team. He played safety on defense for most of the first half. It was a moment worth celebrating.

“It was a lot of fun, it was a great experience, just another milestone to get back to myself,” Hamlin said. Via Heather Prusak from News 4 Buffalo. “Just cut down this tree step by step.”

Bills coach Sean McDermott understood the importance of the moment.

“What we just watched is amazing,” McDermott said. via NFL.com. “It really is. It’s a real sign of the courage of the young man, and obviously everyone who helped him get to this point. I know there’s a football game going on out there today, but I mean, a really great display of courage and strength and faith.”

Hamlin was in for a pair of tackles in his first series, including being part of a pit stop on fourth and one. On one play, Hamlin raced from his safety position to meet Colts running back Evan Hull in the hole to interfere. It was nice to see Hamlin play like he did before his scary moment. Hamlin recorded three tackles in the first half. He was not with the Bills defense to start the second half, as the team made substitutions.

Late last season, Hamlin got into a fight against the Cincinnati Bengals, got up and then collapsed as his heart stopped. A team of medical professionals worked to revive Hamlin. The match was postponed and Hamlin became the biggest story in sports. He became an inspiration to many in this off-season.

Preseason football doesn’t count in the standings, but Hamlin’s just getting back into the game was a defining moment for him.