The news continues to get better for Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin.
Just over four weeks since he went into cardiac arrest in Cincinnati and had to be resuscitated on the field, Dr. Thom Mayer, the medical director of the NFL Players Association, made an optimistic statement about his playing future on Wednesday.
"I don’t want to get into HIPAA issues, but I guarantee you that Damar Hamlin will play professional football again." Mayer said on SirusXM Doctor Radio's "Heart to Heart.
A pretty striking statement given Hamlin's last month, but one that, if true, will surely be celebrated by the sports world as a whole.
Hamlin collapsed on the field on Jan. 2 in a Monday night contest against the Bengals, then was admitted to the University of Cincinnati Medical Center where he remained in critical condition. He was transferred to a Buffalo hospital on Jan. 9, before being released two days late on Jan. 11.
He made his first public appearance during the Bills' Divisional Round loss to the Kansas City Chiefs when he watched the game from a private box in the stadium.
The exact cause of his collapse has still yet to be determined.
Hamlin was also in the news for another reason Wednesday, when he made a brief appearance on stage at Super Bowl week to receive the NFLPA's Alan Page Community Award.
“One of my favourite quotes: it’s a blessing to be a blessing,” Hamlin said, reading from a brief statement with his parents on stage with him. “With that being said, I plan to never take this position for granted and always have an urgent approach to making a difference in the community where I come from and also communities across the world.”
Hamlin was one of five finalists for the Alan Page Award, which annually recognizes one player who goes above and beyond to perform community service in his team city and/or hometown.
Hamlin's toy drive fundraiser received unexpected GoFundMe donations in the days and weeks after he collapsed. Chasing M’s has since raised more than $9 million.
While there is clearly now some optimism that Hamlin will play another snap as an NFL player, the timeline is still unclear. What is clear, however, is if it does indeed happen, it will be one of the best comeback stories in the history of sports.
-- With files from the Associated Press
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