On third-and-2 from the Buffalo 41-yard line, Hamlin came off the edge to help hold the Colts, and on the ensuing fourth-and-1 play, he tackled Evan Hull for no gain and the turnover on downs. Later in the first, Hamlin was in on back-to-back tackles, including a solo tally in which he filled quickly.
“It for sure felt like a little weight off my shoulders,” Hamlin said of making his first tackle. “I think it’ll be like that probably every game. But even before my situation it’s kind of like that, we all get butterflies until we get that first contact. That’s universal for being an athlete, that just lets you know you’re human, that just lets you know you live in the moment.”
A 2021 NFL Draft sixth-round pick of the Bills, Hamlin appeared in 14 games as a rookie before he was a 13-game starter with 91 tackles in 2022 prior to the frightening conclusion to his campaign.
Hamlin, 25, took the field just under 32 weeks after a collision with Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins resulted in him suffering commotio cordis, which caused his cardiac arrest. Commotio cordis causes cardiac arrest following a blunt impact to the chest at a precise moment during which the heart rhythm disrupts the heartbeat.
Hamlin received CPR on the field and was then transported via ambulance to the University of Cincinnati, where he remained in critical condition for nearly a week. He was later transported to Buffalo for further treatment prior to being discharged on Jan. 11.
The road to Saturday saw Hamlin cleared to resume football activities in April, participate in team drills during June’s organized team activities and take part as a full participant during training camp over the past two weeks.
Naturally, the next step for Hamlin will be returning to the field for the regular season when the Bills kick off their 2023 campaign on Sept. 11 versus the New York Jets.