{"id":179630,"date":"2023-01-07T07:58:15","date_gmt":"2023-01-07T07:58:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/damar-hamlin-able-to-breathe-on-his-own-and-talk-to-teammates-giving-the-buffalo-bills-fuel-for-this-weekends-game\/"},"modified":"2023-01-07T07:58:15","modified_gmt":"2023-01-07T07:58:15","slug":"damar-hamlin-able-to-breathe-on-his-own-and-talk-to-teammates-giving-the-buffalo-bills-fuel-for-this-weekends-game","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/damar-hamlin-able-to-breathe-on-his-own-and-talk-to-teammates-giving-the-buffalo-bills-fuel-for-this-weekends-game\/","title":{"rendered":"Damar Hamlin able to breathe on his own and talk to teammates, giving the Buffalo Bills ‘fuel’ for this weekend’s game"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

\n
\n
\n CNN<\/span>
\n \u2014
\n <\/cite>\n<\/p>\n

\n

Just four days after his stunning on-field cardiac arrest, Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin is breathing on his own and speaking to family, physicians and teammates \u2013 positive updates that Bills players say will bolster them in this weekend’s matchup against the New England Patriots.\n <\/p>\n

\n

\u201cTo hear him talk to us, it was everything, and that’s what we needed. Literally that’s all we needed,\u201d Bills offensive tackle Dion Dawkins said of the team’s Friday video call with Hamlin, who is still undergoing treatment at a Cincinnati hospital.\n <\/p>\n

\n

Hamlin \u2013 who was sedated and placed on a ventilator after his collapse Monday \u2013 began awakening late this week and was able to have his breathing tube removed before Friday morning, physicians have said.\n <\/p>\n

\n

\u201cLove you boys,\u201d the 24-year-old player told his team Friday via FaceTime, according to head coach Sean McDermott, who added that Hamlin flexed his arms and made his signature heart-shaped hand gesture during the call.\n <\/p>\n

\n

Since he collapsed during the \u201cMonday Night Football\u201d game between the Bills and the Cincinnati Bengals, Hamlin \u201ccontinues to progress remarkably in his recovery\u201d and \u201chis neurologic function remains intact,\u201d the Bills tweeted<\/a> Friday, citing his physicians.\n <\/p>\n

\n

Dawkins described the emotional \u201croller coaster\u201d this week has been for the team \u2013 who watched in shock as Hamlin received CPR on the field and was carried from the stadium in an ambulance. But he said news of Hamlin’s significant improvement \u201cwill for sure fuel us\u201d in the team’s Sunday showdown against the Patriots.\n <\/p>\n

\n

\u201cThe excitement was beautiful, it was amazing,\u201d he said of the call with Hamlin. \u201cIt has given us so much energy, so much bright, high spirits \u2013 whatever you want to call it \u2013 it has given it to us to see that boy’s face.\u201d\n <\/p>\n

\n

Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown said Hamlin’s continued recovery is \u201cuplifting news\u201d for the city of Buffalo, which has recently been struck by several tragedies, including a racist mass shooting and a brutal blizzard that left at least 41 dead in Erie County.\n <\/p>\n

\n

\u201cWhat happened to Damar Hamlin, his injury, was another gut punch to the city of Buffalo and to see him recovering so remarkably is certainly lifting spirits throughout our community and across the country,\u201d Brown told CNN’s Kate Bolduan Friday.\n <\/p>\n

\n

After millions witnessed Hamlin’s emergency play out live, a wave of support has emerged from fans and strangers across the nation, many of whom have purchased his jersey or donated to his foundation’s charity fund, which has topped $8 million raised as of Saturday morning. Teams across the NFL have also rally behind the Bills player by wearing his number, 3, lighting up stadiums and scoreboards, and sharing words of solidarity.\n <\/p>\n

\n

Displays of support will continue this weekend as the league prepares for an emotional return to competition for the final games of the regular season on Saturday and Sunday. The NFL plans to honor Hamlin before each game.\n <\/p>\n

\n

The NFL announced Thursday the Bills-Bengals game \u2013 which was initially postponed Monday night \u2013 will not be resumed or made up.\n <\/p>\n

\n

The cancellation will have no effect on which teams qualify for the playoffs, as both the Bills and Bengals have already secured spots. But the imbalance in number of games played has prompted the league to approve unprecedented opinions for the postseason based on how the Bills and Bengals are seeded and their potential opponents.\n <\/p>\n

\n

As players head into the final week of the regular season, the NFL announced several ways that teams may honor Hamlin before this weekend’s matchups, including holding a \u201cmoment of support\u201d before games or outlining the \u201c3\u201d on the 30-yard line in the Bills’ red or blue colors.\n <\/p>\n

\n

Players also have the option to wear shirts emblazoned with \u201cLove for Damar 3\u201d during warmups and the Bills will wear \u201c3\u201d patches on their jerseys, the NFL said.\n <\/p>\n

\n

Bills general manager Brandon Beane \u2013 who stayed in Cincinnati following the game’s postponement to be with Hamlin and his family \u2013 praised the unified message of support across the league this week, noting how characteristically competitive the sport is.\n <\/p>\n

\n

\u201cYeah, we go to battle. But in the end, life is the number one battle,\u201d Beane said Friday. \u201cAnd to see that unity from players, coaches, (general managers), owners, fans, is unheard of. But I think it’s a good light. It sheds a great light on the NFL. The NFL is truly a family.\u201d\n <\/p>\n

\n

The NFL Players Association named Hamlin its Community MVP of Week 18, announcing that the organization will donate $10,000 to his Chasing M’s Foundation.\n <\/p>\n

\n

Philadelphia Eagles running back Miles Sanders said he was able to video chat with Hamlin, telling him, \u201cYou know you’re the most famous person in the world right now?\u201d\n <\/p>\n

\n

Hamlin replied, \u201cBut not for the right reasons,\u201d according to Sanders, who told Hamlin, \u201cYou’re blessed, bro, you don’t know how blessed you are.\u201d\n <\/p>\n

\n

Sanders describe Hamlin as his best friend and said the two spoke after every game, according to NFL Network reporter James Palmer<\/a>.\n <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n