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Damar Hamlin continues on the road to recovery following his scary cardiac arrest during the Bills’ Week 17 game against the Cincinnati Bengals.
And according to NFL Players Association Medical Director Thom Mayer, Hamlin’s road to recovery could wind up leading him back to an NFL field one day. In fact, he’s sure of it.
Appearing on SiriusXM’s Doctor Radio show Heart to Heart, NFL Players Association Medical Director Thom Mayer made a bold proclamation regarding Bills safety Damar Hamlin.
In response to a caller who asked whether Hamlin will ever play again, Mayer said this: “I don’t want to get into HIPAA issues, but I guarantee you that Damar Hamlin will play professional football again.” [via ProFootballTalk]
While the situations aren’t identical, there’s certainly a recent precedent for an athlete returning to their sport following an in-game cardiac arrest.
During the Summer of 2021, midfielder Christian Eriksen suffered from cardiac arrest while playing for Denmark in the Euros. Just seven months later, however, Eriksen would sign a six-month deal with Premier League club Brentford before ultimately landing at Manchester United, where he’s been a regular starter this season.
There’s also the question of whether or not Hamlin even wants to play in the NFL again. At this time, the 24-year-old Bills safety has yet to make any official announcements regarding his future.
Hamlin was drafted by the Bills out of the University of Pittsburgh in the sixth round of the 2021 NFL Draft. After making just two tackles in his rookie season, Hamlin became a starter for the Bills in 2022, starting in 13 games, and had 91 total tackles, 4 pass defenses, 1.5 sacks, and 1 forced fumble.