Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin has been discharged from the hospital following his return home to Buffalo, N.Y., after suffering cardiac arrest and collapsing during a game against the Cincinnati Bengals on Jan. 2.
In a news release Wednesday, the Bills franchise said doctors at the Buffalo General Medical Center/Gates Vascular Institute conducted a "comprehensive medical evaluation" in addition to a series of cardiac, neurological and vascular testing.
"We have completed a series of tests and evaluations, and in consultation with the team physicians, we are confident that Damar can be safely discharged to continue his rehabilitation at home and with the Bills," Dr. Jamie Nadler, the care team lead and critical care physician at Kaleida Health, said in a statement through the Bills.
Hamlin had been treated for nearly a week at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center after his collapse on the field. He was discharged and transported back to Buffalo on Monday.
An amazing Damar Hamlin update. ❤️💙 pic.twitter.com/GyP2uDQry0
— Buffalo Bills (@BuffaloBills) January 11, 2023
Doctors say they are still unsure of what caused the cardiac arrest.
Hamlin's heart stopped beating following what seemed like a routine tackle during the Jan. 2 game against the Cincinnati Bengals. First responders resuscitated him by performing CPR and using a defibrillator.
UCMC physicians praised the first responders' quick actions as life-saving.
Doctors said Hamlin has been walking since Friday, and also has been eating regular food and undergoing therapy, saying he was on what medical professionals say is a "very normal" or even "accelerated trajectory" in his recovery from cardiac arrest — which is considered a life-threatening event.
The NFL said it will not reschedule the Bills-Bengals game, which was stopped in the first quarter after Hamlin collapsed.
In a news release last week, the league said that the game cancellation will have "no effect" on which clubs will qualify for the postseason.
