They thought it was over for Damar Hamlin, but the 25-year-old safety is showing the world that you can’t keep a real one down. On Tuesday, Hamlin announced he is fully cleared to resume all football activities, just a few months after his heart stopped on national television. Hamlin is already back at the Buffalo Bills' facility in Orchard Park, New York, putting in work during voluntary offseason sessions, proving his grind is unmatched.

Hamlin kept it 100 with the media during his first press conference since the incident, addresssing the sheer craziness of what he went through. "I died on national TV in front of the whole world," Hamlin said. He didn’t sugarcoat the trauma, acknowledging how blessed he is to still be breathing and surrounded by his circle. "I lost a bunch of people in my life. I know a bunch of people who lost people in their lives... That right there is the biggest blessing of it all – for me to still have my people and my people to still have me."

The medical term for what happened to Hamlin on January 2 against the Cincinnati Bengals is commotio cordis. It’s a freak occurrence where a hard hit to the chest right over the heart—like the helmet-to-chest blow Hamlin took during a first-quarter tackle—messes up the heart's electrical rhythm and causes dangerous fibrillations. But instead of letting that trauma break him, Hamlin is getting back to the game he loves because his heart is still in it.

To get the green light, Hamlin had to go through a serious gauntlet of medical checks. Bills GM Brandon Beane revealed that Hamlin visited three separate specialists over the offseason to make sure everything was completely solid. All three doctors agreed he’s good to go with zero restrictions. Hamlin gave love to the medical staff, saying they treated him with the kind of care they’d give their own kids, which made all the difference in his recovery.

Hamlin’s return isn't just about football; it’s about showing the community how to handle adversity. "I just want to show people that fear is a choice," Hamlin told reporters. "You might feel anxious – you might feel any type of way – but you just keep putting that right foot in front of the left one and you keep going. I want to stand for that." That’s real talk for anyone dealing with their own struggles.

Even with the physical clearance, Bills head coach Sean McDermott made it clear the team is holding Hamlin down on every level, including his mental health. McDermott said they are ready to provide all the mental, physical, and spiritual support Hamlin needs as he takes it one day at a time. In a high-pressure world, having that kind of backing from your squad is everything.

While Hamlin is focused on his comeback, he’s also looking out for the next generation. On March 29, 2023, he pulled up to Washington, D.C., to stand with lawmakers and push the Access to AEDs Act. This bill is all about making sure schools—especially underfunded public schools—have automated external defibrillators on deck so everyday kids get the same lifesaving chance Hamlin had if emergency strikes.

According to medical protocols from the American Heart Association and the American College of Cardiology, if a battery of tests like ECGs and echocardiograms prove your heart has no structural or electrical defects after commotio cordis, you're clear to play. Hamlin checked every single box, proved his heart is perfectly healthy, and now he's ready to write the next chapter of his story.

Sources

American Heart Association*: "Emergency Response Guidelines and Commotio Cordis Outcomes in Athletes" American College of Cardiology*: "Consensus on Cardiovascular Clearance for Competitive Sports" United States Congress*: "H.R. 2370 - Access to AEDs Act of 2023"