Damar Hamlin’s success story is set to culminate in a big way on Sunday when he makes his first start in nearly two years.
On Wednesday, Buffalo Bills head coach Sean McDermott told reporters that Hamlin will start at free safety opposite Taylor Rapp in the team’s opening game against the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday.
“What can this young man not do? He went through what he went through on the field … To come back from that,” McDermott said at a press conference. “It’s one thing to come back from an ACL or a broken bone. It’s another thing to come back off of what he came off of. Let alone just to decide to play football …
“I don’t think I need to say anything more. It’s incredible … We’re just extremely proud and full of gratitude.”
Hamlin has had a careful but inspiring return to the NFL after going into cardiac arrest following a tackle in a game against the Cincinnati Bengals on Jan. 2, 2023. Though he appeared in five games for the Bills last season, he wasn’t given a starting role on the team.
In August, the 26-year-old suffered a hamstring injury that kept him out of the team’s final two pre-season games against the Pittsburgh Steelers and Carolina Panthers.
However, more than just a feel-good story, McDermott felt he saw what he needed from Hamlin to get him back to a starting role.
“I think it’s consistency and opportunity,” McDermott said when asked about what he saw from Hamlin that inspired confidence. “The opportunity that was there, he took advantage of it and was consistent.”
The Bills are dealing with a plethora of injuries to their secondary, as veteran free-agent Mike Edwards is nursing a hamstring issue and rookie second-rounder Cole Bishop has a shoulder injury.
Buffalo opens its 2024 season with an outing against the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday at 1 p.m. ET / 10 a.m. PT.